Economic Development

 Business Support Mission

Goal:  To continually network with member customers in building relationships that allow for open interaction between the cooperative and business and industry customer base.

Strengthening customer relations with new and expanding businesses is a key component of the cooperative’s Key Account Model.  The model allows for consistent networking with local, area, state and other officials in an effort to ensure Warren RECC involvement with commercial and industrial prospects that might be expanding or locating to the Warren RECC service area.

County by County Overview:

Barren County

The Glasgow-Barren County area has a total of 269 acres available for industrial development.  The largest site is a 200 acre tract located in Highland Glen Industrial Park in Glasgow.  Warren RECC and Barren County officials work in collaboration with Idea (Industrial Development Economic Authority).  For information on locating your business or industry in the Barren County area, contact Dan Iacconi, Director for IDEA, at (270) 651-6314 or email idea@glasgow-ky.com.  Information regarding sites and buildings available can also be obtained by visiting http://www.thinkkentucky.com

Butler County

• India-based Chandra Proteco Ltd. announced in the fall of 2009 that a new company called Kentucky Copper will start manufacturing operations in July 2010. The new company will create over 100 jobs and will represent a $32 million investment in the Morgantown-Butler County community. The company will manufacture products to be used in power transformers, energy transmission and distribution applications, as well as high-speed trains.
  
  
• Blackhawk Composites, a start-up operation, announced in September 2009 that the company would locate a facility in Morgantown and manufacture advanced aerospace composite parts for Cessna Carvan aircraft engine covers. The project represents more than a $1.5 million investment in the Morgantown-Butler County community. The Kentucky Economic Development Cabinet, TVA, Warren RECC and the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce partnered with local government officials in providing support to the project.

Warren County

Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce

These industries have located or expanded in the Bowling Green-Warren County during 2009. Warren RECC works in cooperation with the Bowling Green-Warren County Area Chamber of Commerce in support of those businesses situated in the Warren RECC service area.

• The Kentucky Intermodal Transportation Authority broke ground on a new speculative building in fall 2009. The state-of-the-art facility will be located on 10 acres of land adjacent to Cannon Automotive Solutions, Inc. When completed, the building will be available for lease or purchase by a prospective Transpark tenant. The floor area of the building is 72,000 square feet, with an expandable area of an additional 45,000 square feet.
  
  
• Berry Plastics was named the 2009 Industry of the Year by the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce at the Annual Industry Appreciation Banquet. The company began operations in Bowling Green in 1995, and currently employees 185 south central Kentucky residents. The company is a leader in the manufacturing of injection-molded plastic packaging, thermoformed products.
  
  
• The American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCU) recognized the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce as the Chamber of the Year during ACCU's annual conference held in Raleigh, North Carolina, declaring it the top chamber of its size in the United States and Canada.

• The Bowling Green Economic Development Authority has over 500 acres of prime industrial properties available in the Kentucky Transpark, located 8 miles north of downtown Bowling Green.  Properties are within close proximity to I-65 and the National Corvette Museum and are rail served.

For information on locating your business or industry in the Bowling Green-Warren County area, contact Jim Hizer, President/CEO, Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce, at (270) 781-3200 or email jhizer@bgchamber.com. http://www.southcentralkentucky.com/.

Simpson County

Franklin-Simpson County Industrial Authority

• Berry Plastics was named Industry of the Year by the Franklin-Simpson Industrial Authority. In October 2009, the company made a commitment to remain in Franklin by investing $20 million in equipment and production upgrades. The expansion was instrumental in supporting the retention of over 400 jobs for the Franklin-Simpson County community.
  
  
• The Industrial Authority announced in the fall of 2009 that Cole-Kepro International, a company with facilities in China, Taiwan, and Nevada, will locate in an existing 10,000 square foot building in the Wilkey North Industrial Park. The facility will be used for company distribution and manufacturing. The company manufactures fabricated metal and gaming products.
  
  
• The Franklin-Simpson County Industrial Board has over 300 acres available for industrial development use.

For information on locating your business or industry in Franklin-Simpson County, Kentucky, contact Dennis Griffin, C.E.D., at (270) 586-4477 or visit the authority’s website at  fsindustry@aol.com or http://www.f-sindustry.com/

Edmonson County

Edmonson County Industrial Authority

• The Edmonson County Industrial Authority announced in the summer of 2009 that GSYS Military Products LLC would locate in a 10,000 square foot building located in the Edmonson County Industrial Park, located on Highway 31W. The company will design and manufacture state-of-the-art driver warning, load monitoring, and collision avoidance communication devices for both the military and commercial fleet operations. A total of 15 new jobs are expected to be created.

• The Edmonson County Industrial Authority has available 55 acres of prime industrial properties with potential rail accessibility.  Properties are located within one mile of Interstate 65 at Park City, Kentucky.
  

For information on locating your business or industry in the Brownsville-Edmonson County, Kentucky area, contact N.E. Reed at (270) 597-2819 or email  ecfc@mchsi.com or http://www.southcentralkentucky.com.

Logan County 

Logan Economic Alliance for Development (LEAD)

• In 2009, Auburn Leather Company and Caldwell Gasket Company consolidated under common ownership, saving a significant number of jobs and setting the stage for future growth and expansion. The Logan Economic Alliance for Development Corporate presented the 2009 Citizen Award to the company during the Alliance's annual industrial appreciation luncheon held in October 2009.
  
  
• Available industrial development land consists of 75 acres, situated in the Northeast Industrial site.

For information on locating your business or industry in the Russellville-Logan County area, contact Tom Harned, Executive Director, at (270) 726-9575 or email tom@loganleads.com. http://www.loganleads.com

Ohio County

Ohio County Industrial Development Foundation

• The Ohio County Industrial Authority is marketing 850 acres of prime industrial property situated within the Bluegrass Crossings Regional Business Park located adjacent to the Bluegrass Parkway at Beaver Dam, Kentucky.  Companies presently located in the park are Ritatsu, DSSA and Diacel Safety Technology of America and Diacel Safety System of America.

For information on locating your business or industry in the Ohio County area, contact Kim Logsdon, Economic Development Director, at (270)314-9004 or email klogsdon@roadrunner.com.

Grayson County

Leitchfield-Grayson County Industrial Development Corporation (IDC)

• The IDC has available 200 plus acres of industrial properties available for business and industry use. The property has rail accessibility with partial infrastructure completed.  Also available is a 90,000 square foot industrial building.

For information on locating  your business or industry to the Leitchfield Grayson County area, contact Dudley Cooper, Executive Director, at (270) 589-2277 or email dcooper@graysoncountyidc.com  (website is being developed).

Incentives

Warren RECC, through an established relationship with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), offers financial incentives to assist companies with new location and expansion opportunities.

Contact information

For information on how Warren RECC can better serve your business and industrial needs, please contact Rick Starks at (270) 842-5214, extension 2298 or email rstarks@wrecc.com.