U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. will expand its operations in Hopkinsville and create 200 new jobs, Gov. Andy Beshear’s office announced Thursday in a press release. The Hopkinsville facility processes dark-fired tobacco leaves for brands such as Copenhagen and Skoal.
“This investment further strengthens the importance of the existing Hopkinsville operation, which currently employs 165 individuals,” Beshear said in the release.
The new facility will expand U.S. Tobacco’s operations at Weyman’s Way, off Fort Campbell Boulevard near the Walmart Distribution Center. The project is pending approval of proposed state incentives by the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority
“Our decision to locate this new facility in Kentucky underscores the important role the commonwealth plays in our company’s history, our business today and in our vision for tomorrow,” said Michael Brace, president and CEO of U.S. Tobacco, an Altria company. “This new facility will enhance our manufacturing capabilities, improve operational efficiency and support the continued production of the iconic brands adult smokeless tobacco consumers know and trust. We’re grateful to the commonwealth of Kentucky and local leaders for their partnership, and we look forward to building on our deep roots in this community for years to come.”
Christian County Judge-Executive Jerry Gilliam, Hopkinsville Mayor James R. Knight Jr. and Carter Hendricks, executive director of South Western Kentucky Economic Development Council, all applauded the announcement in the release.
The release does not state when work will begin on the new facility, the cost of the project or when it is expected to be completed.
NewsChannel 5 in Nashville reported Thursday that a U.S. Tobacco plant in that city will close and shift operations to Hopkinsville. Production in Nashville is projected to end in 2028, the report states.
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.
