SWK EDC director highlights incoming, expanding industries

The South Western Kentucky Economic Development Council works to bring new businesses and industries to Christian, Todd and Trigg counties. Council Executive Director Carter Hendricks recently appeared on WHOP to spotlight incoming and expanding industries.

Kitchen Food Co. is working to start operations at the Christian County Spec Building on Frank Yost Lane in the fall. Hendricks says the company is focused on hiring employees and would like to have at least 350 people hired by the fall. Those interested in applying can visit southwesternky.com and tap on the WorkSWK tab to submit their resume.

U.S. Smokeless Tobacco in Hopkinsville will soon start constructing a manufacturing facility at its current campus at Hopkinsville’s South Park. The new facility is being relocated from Nashville, which will allow the company to complete all processing, production and finishing in Hopkinsville.

Hendricks says he expects the facility to be completed and operational within 18 to 24 months. The facility is also expected to create over 200 new jobs.

Ascend Elements’ Apex 1 Facility was purchased in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy auction in early June. It was bought by Turner-Kokosing Joint Venture, which is the joint venture that filed the initial lawsuit against Ascend Elements alleging that Ascend failed to pay for work that was done.

The council has been in contact with the joint venture, and Hendricks says they are working on selling the facility to a developer interested in finishing construction and moving a company into the building.

Then, as the beginning of the school year approaches, Hendricks says the SWK Ignite program will be ramping back up in the fall. The program provides industry tours to local students who plan to enter straight into the workforce after they graduate from high school.