The company manufactures wood and metal blinds, shutters and shades. It also handles a variety of administrative functions, such as customer service, marketing and sales and finance, said Lynne Meixell, general manager of the company's intermountain division in Salt Lake.

The new facility will be located on 20.7 acres west of Salt Lake City International Airport purchased from Zions Securities. Jim Sheldon of NAI Utah Commercial Real Estate orchestrated the sale.

Hunter Douglas has sold its facility at 4282 S. 590 West in Murray and will move all of the employees working there to the new building, scheduled for completion in April 2007.

Although manufacturing activity is declining in many areas of the country, it is growing in Utah, said Mark Knold, senior economist with the Utah Department of Workforce Services.

That is happening because manufacturers want to locate near high-growth areas such as the West, he said. Manufacturing closer to growth markets makes it easier and less expensive to ship products to customers.

Salt Lake has several advantages over other cities, such as good transportation links and reasonable utility rates, Knold said. But with a low unemployment rate, a number of companies are struggling to fill available positions right now, he said.

But that is good news for workers, who likely will see higher wages in the coming years, Knold said.

Hunter Douglas is a Swiss company which has its North American headquarters in New Jersey.

lesley@sltrib.com

Job opportunities

The new Hunter Douglas facility won't be finished for months, but the company is hiring now.

Customer service positions: Start at around $11 an hour

Manufacturing positions: Start as low as $7.50

For information: Call 261-4262