State interested in possible industrial sites in Hancock

Several topics of interest were discussed at the Hancock County Industrial Foundation’s monthly board meeting on Tuesday, August 23.
Michael T. Baker, Director of Economic Development for the Hancock County Industrial Foundation, said their mission has always been to create jobs and help sustain an economic environment that makes this community a destination for the people, families, businesses and industry, and to accomplish that in a way that’s good for the community.
“We don’t just go after anything and everything,” Baker said. “We try to continue the heritage we have and try to make Hancock County a better place to live.
If we can add value to the existing industries and help them become sustainable – help them grow and stay profitable, then we can also make HC a destination for future businesses and industry. That’s really what we try to do on a regular basis.”

The first topic discussed at the meeting is how positive the Board is about the Kenergy/Conexon arrangement to bring fiber broadband to HC.
“We think that’s going to be a very positive development for both residential and commercial folks in HC,” he said.

Next was a Century Aluminum update.

The company maintains their original position that this is a temporary idling of the plant, he said.
“The company has said that they’re idling it for 9-12 months because of the high power costs. That update continues as they had originally stated – 628 employees at the plant, all but just a skeleton crew have been laid-off, as far as we know, as part of this idling.”

The big topic was the large EV (electric vehicle) battery plant that’s currently being built in Elizabethtown, KY.
“A few months ago, the state announced that there would be a partnership between the SK Company (South Korean-based technology firm, SK Innovation) and Ford Motor Company,” he said.
This will be SK Innovation’s first U.S. manufacturing facility and will be one of a few EV battery-related factories planned by Ford-SK Innovation and by Japanese company, Envision AESC.

Glendale, KY has the Blue Oval SK Project and Bowling Green, KY is where Envision is establishing a $2 billion battery “gigafactory”.
The new plant in Elizabethtown is going to employ approximately 5,000 people when it’s completed, Baker said.
“What that has done, is it has sparked quite a bit of activity around our area. And so, the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development (KY-CED) has made several inquiries here in HC for prospects that would supply that plant.

These are EV battery-related industries that would supply the battery plant in Elizabethtown. The attraction for HC, is the proximity to Elizabethtown.

We’re close enough that a supplier could produce product for that plant and get it shipped to them in a reasonably short period of time at a better cost.
We are also far enough away that we’re basically a different workforce territory and wouldn’t be competing for their workers at the Elizabethtown plant if there was a new supply plant built here.

We’ve had about 3 projects related to this EV battery plant that have inquired about the Big Rivers/Coleman property and we’ve provided the state with the necessary information for the prospect to evaluate that property.

We’ve also had a couple of projects that’ve expressed interest in the former Alcoa plant, which is what we now call the River Rail Industrial Park.”
Those are not definitive, announced, or committed projects, he said. They are simply inquiries by the State in regard to certain properties here in the County. “And then those counties become kind of in-the-running, if you will, in competition with other sites around the state for these prospects,” he explained.

“The good news is that activity is there,” he said, “That interest is there.

I like to refer to it as – prospects are ‘kicking the tires and looking under the hood’ in HC to see what we can offer for these prospective folks that want to build new and expand their industries and build new plants.”

Baker said there is a significant amount of activity coming out of the KY-CED, which speaks to the state of the economy and to how industries are looking down the road, in terms of what their future plans are.

He said that the financial commitment that’s being made by the auto industry right now with this transition to EVs is “astonishing”.
“Both Ford and General Motors have committed billions. Ford alone has committed over $11 billion in a battery plant in KY and an EV plant in TN.
And then you look at the transition that GM and Toyota and other auto makers are making to the EV industry – that financial commitment is just astounding.”

The Board is also excited about the current development of Lewisport Industrial Park.

“Outside of Lewisport, we have two clients that have purchased property there and either have opened a business, or are in the process of opening a business there,” he said. “These are small to mid-size businesses, which is a target for us in the Industrial Foundation.

We’re very blessed here in HC to have these big industries.
Obviously, losing Century is a setback. But, we still are very fortunate to have big industries like Commonwealth Rolled Product, Domtar Paper, and Southwire Rod & Cable.

We are actively pursuing small to mid-size companies that can re-locate in the Lewisport Industrial Park. We’re doing everything we can to help our big industries, but are also helping to promote all of the mid-size industries.”

The reported June unemployment rate in Hancock County was 4.3 percent. As a comparison: Breckinridge was 4.9 percent, Daviess 4.1, McClean 4.7, and Ohio 5.1 percent.

This is a good reference, he said “because we draw from all of those counties for our manufacturing workers here.”
The State of Kentucky unemployment rate for June was 4.2 percent.
“It tells you that we are not out of the norm of what’s going on around the state,” he said.

“Overall, what we’re trying to do is create jobs for the county and help sustain an economic environment that makes it a destination for people and for businesses and industry.”

He says it’s a team effort, and that they work very closely with the school system, Superintendent Asberry and the HC Board of Education.
Baker emphasized that workforce is extremely important and helps to keep the “pipeline full” for our industries with our current students, and that many of them have become our future workforce.

“Helping the schools provide the kind of curriculum that prepares our young people for these industrial and manufacturing jobs is important.
I’ve said all along that industries can have all the money in the world – the latest and greatest equipment and best technology – but if the parking lot is empty Monday morning, they’ll soon be out of business and that’s not good.”

Baker was General Manager of the Aleris Rolling Mill/Commonwealth Rolling Mill, and was associated with that plant for 28 years.
“Hancock County is a special place for me and my family,” he said.
“Having come from plant management and the experience in the plant, I feel like I have a unique view of the economic development because I’ve been on both sides of the table, so to speak. I understand and appreciate how important the history of manufacturing is in our community and how valuable it is to the families here.
I’m just pleased to be able to, hopefully, play a role in sustaining that manufacturing legacy we have and helping to continue it and helping our companies grow and be sustainable over the years. It means so much to our community and the families of our community.
I’m very pleased and honored to be able to have a part in that.”

By Jennifer Wimmer