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OGDEN — Chromalox's Ogden facility has served as the cornerstone of the company's advanced thermal manufacturing operations for the last 47 years.
On Tuesday, Chromalox held a groundbreaking for the expansion of its facility that will be the "nexus of the next era of environmentally sustainable, thermal energy support," said Lois Crandall, vice president of operations for Electric Thermal Solutions' business unit of Spirax-Sarco Engineering PLC.
Spirax-Sarco Engineering is a leading global thermal energy and fluid technology solutions group that Chromalox is a part of. Chromalox's Ogden facility produces thermal electric heating technology used for sustainable heating applications in industrial and commercial installations throughout the globe.
"The defining purpose in all that we're doing is to create sustainable value for all of our stakeholders as we engineer a more efficient, safer and sustainable world," said Armando Pazos, president and director of Electric Thermal Solutions.
The $58 million expansion will add 100,000 square feet to the facility, bringing its total footprint to 286,000 square feet. When complete, the building will be LEED Gold-certified.
"That's much more than a certification. That's what we do. That's what we are," said Roberto Potenza, director of operations at Chromalox's Ogden location. "We're not doing that for the title, we're doing that because that's the right thing to do."
The facility is also making a significant investment in a ground source heat pump system to efficiently heat and cool the facility year-round with renewable, geothermal energy. Additional investments will include LED lighting and high-efficiency systems to conserve water consumption and improve recycling. State-of-the-art paint booths will utilize environmentally friendly paints and incorporate advanced filtration systems all while reducing operational energy consumption.
Additionally, Chromalox has vowed to invest in Ogden not just financially, but in the local ecosystem by pledging to restore nearly five acres in the Ogden Nature Center preserve to help offset the impacts of the expansion.
Initiatives like that are important to not just Chromalox, but Weber County as a whole.
"Weber County has made a very solid stance on their vision as it comes to bringing in businesses and expanding businesses that are environmentally sustainable," said Stephanie Russell, economic development director for Weber County. "It's not just about creating jobs in northern Utah and it's not just about expanding business opportunities and expanding the tax base, it truly is the vision of Weber County and Weber County commissioners to create quality of life and sustainability for generations to come."
While Russell noted that the expansion is about more than boosting the economy and creating jobs, the expansion will add around 155 jobs over the next 10 years.
Russell said that any business that comes to Ogden will have components of sustainability to fight against poor air quality and other environmental issues that are prevalent in Utah.
"Any of these businesses that are looking to expand that are going to contribute to the positive nature of the environment as it relates to infrastructure; that's really what my focus has been on these past two years that I've been with Weber County," Russell said.
She believes Chromalox fits that mold.
The facility is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
