Area Development
Utah's economy will get a huge boost over the next four years thanks to the 700 new tech jobs anticipated to come about from two major expansion projects.

Lehi, UT-based IM Flash, a world leader in flash memory technology, plans to add 200 (mostly engineering and tech support positions) next year to its 1,400-employee workforce at its semiconductor fabrication plants. The expansion activity is expected to be responsible for nearly $1.4 billion in new state wages over the next decade, and for $1.5 billion in capital investments during this growth stage. IM Flash's Co-Executive Office Keyvan Esfarjani said the firm intends to continue expanding "not only in Utah, but around the globe."

Utah's Office of Economic Development recently approved $49.5 million in post-performance tax incentives for IM Flash's project. It also approved an incentive valued up to $3.5 million for EMC Corp., a worldwide provider of storage hardware solutions. EMC employs a global workforce of over 48,500 people and is based in Hopkinton, MA. It plans to add 500 jobs in Utah by year-end 2015. This week, EMC begun to post for the up to 100 positions it would like to fill before 2012.

Company spokesperson Vance Checketts said EMC will continue to operate from its Mozy facility in Pleasant Grove as it searches for a larger site better suited for its expansion goals.