OCR Text |
Show . Page 10b The I tah Enterprise Review , January 5, 7977 Utah Attracts Tanner An outdated Wisconsin factory and Utah's favorable business climate have helped to relocate a $1.5 million Wisconsin fur tanning business in Salt Lake. Leslie P. Barta, corporate president and manager of his family's fur tanning business relocated his plant in Murray last October after looking for months for the most favorable manufacturing state. Barta said he chose Utah because of its conservative business attitude and a 2.7 percent unemployment compensation tax. The company was paying 4.5 percent unemployment tax in Wisconsin and Ifcrta estimates he will save from $5,000 to $10,000 annually in state taxes by the move. For five years the Barta family has operated a fur tanning business specializing in sheep skin products. They recently moved to an 18,000 square foot concrete building in Murray where they say they will operate their tannery and wholesale outlet for years to come. The company plans to employ about 60 people, 12 of whom made the trip with the Barta family. Only key production personnel came to Utah, Barta said, the rest of the tanners will come from local or wish people who have to have fur tanning experretail-wholesa- le ience. Things r hsppening and nws is bing mad minut, not just once or twice a day. If you wait to read about it, itsvry late. If you wait to see it on TV, its late. KWMS is Utahs only Al News stat'on, offering unduplicated programming 24 hours a day. Tune 1 280 on your AM dial for news; Anytime On time. About ten percent of Barta's $1.5 million business last year was dependent on retail sales, he said, and four retail outlets have already been established in the area. Retail business at the tannery will eventually be popular with Murray City residents, Barta suspects, but the only existing retail outlets for the sheep skin products right now are at the Salt Lake International Airport's Gift and Boutique Shop, the Village Sports Den, Salt Lake, and The Wood-hau- s shops in Brighton and Park City. The bulk of the family income will come from wholesale outlets in every state north and west of the southern belt, Barta said. The tannery sells exclusively to states with cooler climates although Barta said his coats are in great demand in Texas. The coats are so warm, he claims, they will never reach popularity in warmer climates. Tan Fur moved into a building owned by a now defunct fur tanning business. The thought of his predecessors fate doesnt both him, Barta maintains, and his optimism is only outdone by his speculative Continued on page 1 lb |