Louisville area in line for more than 800 new jobs

(The Center Square) – The Louisville area is in line for more than 800 new jobs. That’s according to information provided to the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority, which approved incentives for two companies slated to invest more than $200 million in the region.

KCC Manufacturing produces heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment for what it says is a growing base of business customers that includes agri-tech companies, health care facilities, schools, retail outlets and hospitality-related operations.

The Kentucky-based company said it wants to spend $60 million to build what will be a 380,000-square-foot facility in Simpsonville, a Shelby County community just east of Louisville. KCC, an employee-owned business, expects to create 700 jobs that pay an average hourly wage of $29 with benefits.

In a statement, KCC CFO Anthony Balbach said the company is excited to expand in the state, where it’s had a presence for more than 40 years. The company also has two manufacturing plans in Jeffersontown that employ more than 500 people.

“KCC’s vision of promoting the healthy building initiative through our lineup of 100 percent outdoor air units and other HVAC products can now be fully accomplished by expanding in Simpsonville,” he said.

The authority gave preliminary approval to KCC for up to $10 million in tax incentives over a 10-year span that’s contingent on the company creating and maintaining 700 full-time jobs for Kentuckians.

The company expects to start work on the project next January and complete it within a year.

KEDFA also approved incentives for House Foods America Corp., which seeks to invest $146.3 million to build its first Kentucky facility that will create 109 full-time positions.

At its proposed 350,000-square-foot facility, the company will take non-GMO domestically grown soybeans and make tofu products. Besides production workers, House Foods expects to hire engineers and research-and-development personnel at the plant.

House Foods plans to construct its new plant in southwest Louisville, roughly halfway between downtown Louisville and Fort Knox.

Gov. Andy Beshear said the company will help bolster Kentucky’s standing as an agri-tech leader.

“This company truly has its eye on the future, producing healthy food products and creating a significant number of high-paying jobs in the process,” the governor said in a statement. “The diversity of our state’s food and beverage sector is one of its greatest strengths, and House Foods is the latest company to contribute to the rapidly growing industry. Louisville will be a great fit as the company continues to grow and expand its presence in the U.S. marketplace.”

The company approved $2 million in incentives over a 10-year span based on House Foods proposal to hire and keep the 109 full-time jobs for Kentuckians. Those jobs are expected to pay an average of $26.87 an hour with benefits.

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