White Drive Motors and Steering plans to construct a $16 million expansion of its Hopkinsville manufacturing plant that will create 25 full-time jobs, Gov. Andy Beshear announced Wednesday.
The company makes hydraulic steering units and orbital motors that are used primarily in agricultural, construction and material handling applications. It is a member of the Interpump Group, a global business specializing in hydraulic fluid power and high-pressure pumps.
“The project is moving production of the gearset, known as ‘the heart of the unit,’ to Kentucky, transferring the company’s intended production operations from Parchim, Germany, to Bill Bryan Boulevard in Hopkinsville. The project includes a nearly 13,000-square-foot expansion to the existing 124,000-square-foot Christian County facility,” states the press release from Beshear’s office.
The company will add nearly 13,000 square feet to its existing 124,000-square-foot plant, according to the release.
The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority has preliminarily approved an incentive that provides up to $475,000 in tax credits based on the company investing at least $10.19 million and meeting certain employment targets. The agreement requires White to create and maintain 25 full-time jobs held by Kentucky residents for a period of 15 years. The company must pay an average hourly wage of $34, including benefits, for those jobs.
Local officials, including Hopkinsville Mayor James R. Knight Jr., Christian County Judge-Executive Jerry Gilliam and South Western Kentucky Economic Development Council Director Carter Hendricks applauded White’s expansion.
“We are thrilled to announce that we plan to expand our Hopkinsville facility at White, which will bring in jobs and create economic growth for the local area,” White Senior Director of Operations Shawn Snyder said in the release. “We are confident this project will be a major success and look forward to receiving support from the state and local governments.”
Hendricks told Hoptown Chronicle that city and county financial incentives will be sought for the project. The details are not yet public. However, Hopkinsville City Council and Christian Fiscal Court could vote on incentives this month.
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
