ALLEN COUNTY, Ky. — Construction will begin soon on a new manufacturing facility in Allen County.
Belmark Inc. will build a 156,000 square foot packaging plant on 25 acres southeast of Bowling Green, on the Kentucky-Tennessee border.
Construction on the plant will begin next year and is expected to create 160 new jobs and open in 2026.
Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Ky., says the $99 million investment contributed to Site Selection’s magazine’s recent ranking of Allen County in the top 20 on its “America’s Best Counties” list. It’s based on points per capita.
Beshear said, “Well, this is a thrilling announcement today, the biggest investment in Allen County in over a decade, and it adds to our biggest and best economic development in our history.”
Local leaders say the jobs could help keep people in the county, which has a population of just over 20,000 according to the United States Census Bureau.
Allen County Judge Executive Dennis Harper said, “People don’t have to leave Allen County to go to work, and provide for their families in a very well manner.”
Belmark is based in De Pere, Wisconsin. According to Beshear’s office, it has been in business for 46 years and currently employs over 1,300 people across seven facilities.
Harder said, “As far as I know they will be line workers, looking at $25 an hour base pay, and $37 an hour with benefits.”
Plant manager Jeff LeCaptain said the reason they chose in Allen County is that Kentucky’s culture matches their environment.
LeCaptain said, “The word family comes to mind. Some of the local folks talk about those same things: family atmosphere, family culture. So, it was a good fit.”
The plant will be on Johnson Road, right off of Scottsville Road.