SAM Magazine—Tooele, Utah, June 25, 2024—Leitner-Poma of America (LPOA) opened a new $27 million, 130,000-square-foot Skytrac manufacturing facility last week in Tooele, outside of Salt Lake City. 

The new campus will serve primarily as the headquarters and sole manufacturing base for ropeway company Skytrac, an LPOA subsidiary, as well as provide expanded production for LPOA. It will also be a regional distribution and service center for grooming machine manufacturer Prinoth and snowmaking system manufacturer Demaclenko, both of which are LPOA affiliate companies. 

“It’s a great day in Utah as we celebrate the opening of our newest, largest manufacturing facility in the U.S.,” said LPOA president and chief executive officer Daren Cole. “The demand for this new facility is a reflection of the growth in the resort industry as well as the growing interest of urban planners to seek out new, alternative forms of clean transportation. This new facility represents a significant investment in the state of Utah, our industry, and the talented people who’ll be manufacturing our products.” 

Skytrac focuses on the production, design, installation, and service of fixed-grip chairlifts. The new, larger facility will allow the business to increase production and expand headcount up to 120 employees, with further growth possible in additional phases of the project. The facility is located on a 25-acre lot in the Tooele Business Park, which is also home to suppliers of U.S.-made components and raw materials that Skytrac can source.

Sustainability considerations are a big part of the new HQ. For example, a 162-foot-tall wind turbine was installed on the lot by LPOA affiliate Leitwind. It has the capacity to produce up to 250 kilowatts of electricity, enough to cover 100 percent of the facility’s electricity needs through a direct connection, and will regenerate unused power back to the grid, according to the company. If demand calls for it, the turbines could be manufactured at the Utah facility to cater to the entire North American market. Phase two of constructing the new facility also calls for the installation of solar panels. 

Cole was joined by parent company HTI Group’s chairman Anton Seeber and Tooele City Mayor Debbie Winn for the opening celebration on June 21. In a video played during the event, Utah Lt. Governor Deidre Henderson congratulated LPOA for the opening, noting the importance of LPOA’s investment in the state and the economic impacts of the new facility. 

“At full capacity, this facility will provide 120 high paying manufacturing jobs to sustain local families and contribute to the economic success of rural Utah,” said Lt. Governor Henderson. 

LPOA is also focusing on workforce education in Utah. For example, the company has developed a partnership with Tooele Technical College. The program includes six CTE (career and technical education) scholarships and a tuition reimbursement program for those hired through the program for machining and welding. A lift maintenance program is also being developed. 

Additionally, the company has partnered with the Veteran and Military Employment Services team for the State of Utah Department of Workforce Services to connect veterans and their skills to open positions.