Governor Steve Beshear announced the expansion of Industrial Automation in Simpson County. The project is the result of a partnership between Industrial Automation, Simpson County officials and the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce.
Industrial Automation has outgrown its current facility in Bowling Green and needs more operating space. Due to time constraints and a lack of available space in the area, Industrial Automation began looking at other options, including possibly moving its facility and eight jobs to another state.
Turns out, a new facility wasn’t too far from Industrial Automation’s own backyard. The company discovered a vacant 23,000-square-foot building in Franklin, about 20 miles south of Bowling Green. The new facility will not only support the company’s current operations, but also allow for the creation of 26 new jobs and a $1.8 million investment in the Commonwealth.
“This is a perfect example of regionalism at its finest,” said Gov. Beshear. “I applaud Simpson and Bowling Green officials for working together to not only save existing jobs, but also provide a local company the necessary resources to expand, invest and create additional jobs. I also extend my sincerest congratulations and wish Industrial Automation continued success for many years to come.”
Industrial Automation LLC is a leader in the design and manufacture of custom assembly and automation equipment. The company’s expertise in designing, developing and building high-quality, cost-effective automated solutions provides customers a competitive edge by increasing productivity, flexibility and quality.
“Our entire organization, including employees, vendors and customers are extremely enthusiastic about our further expansion and growth in Kentucky,” said Mark Gust, owner of Industrial Automation. “Industrial Automation holds a firm strategy of supporting our customers regionally. Our new plant in Franklin gives us a central location and will allow us to support our customers in the region. The jobs we will be adding in Kentucky are good-paying jobs with excellent benefits. We look forward to becoming a valued member of this business community.”
“Since we were unable to accommodate their facility needs here in Warren County, we are very pleased to see that neighboring Simpson County was able to provide Industrial Automation with the space they needed to expand,” said Ron Bunch, president and CEO of the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce. “The south central Kentucky region has a strong industrial base, and we are delighted that they will be staying in the region and contributing to our growing economy.”
To encourage the investment and job creation in Simpson County, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority approved the company for tax incentives up to $500,000 through the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based incentive allows a company to keep a portion of its investment over the term of the agreement through corporate income tax credits and wage assessments by meeting job and investment targets.
“It’s exciting to have Industrial Automation moving to Franklin and creating new jobs,” said Sen. David Givens, of Greensburg. “I look forward to a long and prosperous relationship with this forward-thinking, state-of-the-art company. I also want to thank the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce for its support.”
“We are always pleased to add to employment levels in Franklin-Simpson County,” said Rep. Wilson Stone, of Franklin. “These high-quality jobs are further proof of our second-to-none workforce. I want to thank Industrial Automation for locating here, and I appreciate the role our local and state economic development officials played in making this possible.”
“We appreciate the cooperation we received from the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce in helping to keep this project in south central Kentucky,” said Simpson County Judge-Executive Jim Henderson. “In addition to the jobs that Industrial Automation already has, 26 new jobs will be created by keeping this company in the region.”
“The city of Franklin certainly welcomes Industrial Automation,” said Franklin Mayor Ronnie Clark. “This Michigan-based company is taking a vacant industrial building and providing employment opportunities for Franklin. They will be a great addition to our city.”
For more information on Industrial Automation, visit www.industrialautomationllc.com
A detailed community profile for Simpson County can be viewed here.
Information on Kentucky’s economic development efforts and programs is available at www.ThinkKentucky.com. Fans of the Cabinet for Economic Development can also join the discussion on Facebook or follow on Twitter. Watch the Cabinet’s “This is My Kentucky” video on YouTube.
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