The executive director of the South Western Kentucky Economic Development Council appeared on WHOP recently and talked about industry appreciation, changes and anniversaries happening in the region.
The EDC is gearing up for a month-long celebration of their local industries that call this area home, culminating on October 29 with an Industry Appreciation Luncheon at the James E. Bruce Convention Center. Executive Director Carter Hendricks says these industries are deserving of all the praise for the impact and benefit they bring to this community.
A couple of industries are celebrating big anniversaries this year, including 50 years in Hopkinsville for Freudenberg and a tremendous 150-years with Hopkinsville Milling Company.
Hendricks says this is an ever-changing business sector, and he highlighted the recent news that ExxonMobil has purchased Superior Graphite in Hopkinsville. He says a lot of information is still unknown, but it’s big news, and they’ve been told the acquisition has to do with electric vehicle component processing.
According to a news release from ExxonMobil, the company is expanding into the advanced synthetic graphite business, and have entered into an agreement to acquire the technology and U.S. based assets of Superior Graphite.
Approximately 70 people are employed at the location in Hopkinsville, with ExxonMobil says they intend to maintain those workers.
While Superior Graphite itself has been in existence since 1917, the location in Hopkinsville would open in 1993, and then see several expansions in the years following.