HENDERSON, Ky. — One Western Kentucky town is celebrating the opening of a paper mill that will being hundreds of good paying jobs to the area.

What You Need To Know

  • A new paper mill has opened in Henderson

  • The project will mean over 300 good paying manufacturing jobs

  • Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Ky., calls this the largest investment in the region in over 25 years

  • Construction began on the mill in late 2021

The Pratt Industries paper mill has officially opened, and the celebration was attended by Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Ky., U.S. Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy, Australia’s ambassador to the U.S., Kevin Rudd, and other area leaders.

“Announcements are great. They’re the promise. Groundbreaking’s are good. They’re the progress, but today, the opening is the reality of those 300 plus jobs that are going to change people’s lives,” Beshear said. “This is a special day.” 

The paper mill creates cardboard and other paper products from 100% recycled materials. The new Pratt facility, which cost upwards of $500,000, will also employ over 300 workers.

“This is yet another win of a state that has an economy on fire, and our job has to be to keep it going,” Beshear said.

Beshear also highlighted the importance of where this mill is located, western Kentucky, which is still rebuilding after the deadly Dec. 2021 tornadoes.

“The people who have been through that deserve more than just a rebuild. They deserve revitalization. Those families deserve more and better than they had before, given the trauma they face,” Beshear said.

Beshear called this project the largest investment in the region in over 25 years. 

Related Stories