Governor Ernie Fletcher and Economic Development Cabinet officials were in Bowling Green, Ky., recently to announce the location of Cannon Automotive Solutions Inc., an affiliate of The Electromac Group. The company will locate its newest manufacturing operation on approximately 14 acres in Bowling Green’s Kentucky Transpark. The $13.1 million investment is expected to create up to 100 new full-time jobs during the first five years of operation, with an average hourly wage of $17.90.
"I’m pleased Cannon Automotive Solutions has chosen to make Kentucky its new home, and I commend the city of Bowling Green for its work in bringing this company to the commonwealth," said Governor Fletcher. "The company’s location in the Kentucky Transpark will provide significant new opportunities for the region’s workforce. We will continue to create an atmosphere where Cannon Automotive and other global companies can succeed."
Plans for the new facility include the manufacture of individual component stampings for frames to be installed in the 2009 next generation Ford F-150 pickup truck. Construction on the 59,500-square-foot facility is scheduled to be complete by October 2007. The project represents the second new location announcement for the Kentucky Transpark in the last month.
"The Electromac Group is pleased with the choice of Bowling Green, Ky., as the site for its new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. We believe that Bowling Green and Kentucky will provide the necessary base for our company to expand and develop into the future," said Ron Truant, vice president of The Electromac Group. "We extend a sincere thank you to the representatives of the great state of Kentucky, the Bowling Green Chamber and the Bowling Green Area Economic Development Authority for their assistance in helping us turn our vision into reality."
The Electromac Group, established in 1955 in Windsor, Canada, is a single-source supplier for turnkey tooling and production of metal stampings to the automotive industry. The company employs approximately 250 people at its five existing facilities in Canada and Michigan.
"We are committed to the training and development of people, and look forward to working with prospects from the state of Kentucky. We plan to bring the same commitment to Kentucky that we have demonstrated in our Canadian operations for the past 50 years," added Truant.
"Cannon Automotive’s decision to locate in the Kentucky Transpark underscores South Central Kentucky's attractiveness to the automobile industry," said Bowling Green Mayor Elaine Walker. "They will make a great addition to our globally diversified corporate community."
"With their anticipated wages, Cannon Automotive Solutions' new production facility in the Kentucky Transpark will have a huge economic impact on South Central Kentucky," said Warren County Judge Executive Mike Buchanon. "This is the kind of company we had in mind when the Kentucky Transpark was first conceived."
The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) preliminarily approved Cannon Automotive Solutions, Inc. for tax benefits up to $1 million under the Kentucky Industrial Development Act (KIDA), an incentive program designed to attract and expand manufacturing operations in the state.
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