BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (October 31, 2018) – The Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce honored 18 businesses with awards Tuesday night at the annual Targeted Business and Industry Banquet held at the Sloan Convention Center. Henkel received the top award of the evening, the John B. Holland Business of the Year Award.
The banquet is held each year in conjunction with Targeted Business and Industry Month to recognize and salute targeted businesses and industries throughout South Central Kentucky for their accomplishments. South Central Kentucky has experienced great success in 2018 with projects totaling nearly $100 million in investments and the creation of over 400 jobs.
“Each year, the chamber dedicates the month of October to celebrating the contributions and value that our targeted businesses and industries bring to South Central Kentucky,” said Joy Hunt, 2018 chair of the chamber Board of Directors. “These companies employ thousands of people and invest millions of dollars in our region. The annual appreciation banquet is an opportunity for us as a community to recognize special achievements and milestones as well as to honor these businesses for the many ways they make South Central Kentucky the very best place to live and work in the commonwealth.”
“Our existing targeted businesses are what fuel the continual growth of our economy,” said Ron Bunch, president & CEO of the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce, “and it is a privilege to be able to support them every day. It’s only fitting we honor the impact they’ve had through capital investment, job creation, and community engagement here in Bowling Green.”
The John B. Holland Business of the Year Award, named to honor Holland and his dedication to business success in the community, was awarded to Henkel Corporation. Each year we celebrate a business that stands out within our community for their overall impact. This year’s recipient is no exception, although they have quietly been investing since their purchase in 2016. This award publicly celebrated for the first time that Henkel Corp. has invested more than $100 million at its plant in Bowling Green.
In attendance to accept the award was Darren Ericson, vice president, Bowling Green Manufacturing at Henkel Corp.
“We are honored and delighted to accept this prestigious award from the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce, as a reflection of our continuous investment to modernize our operations” Ericson said. “It is a tribute to the dedication and passion that Henkel employees bring to making this community a great place to live and work and to putting our customers and consumers at the center of all we do. We are all proud to celebrate our growth in Bowling Green, and we congratulate the other award recipients who have also made the region an attractive place for industry growth.”
Henkel is the largest operation in the South Central Kentucky Industrial Park. Founded in 1876, Henkel operates three worldwide business units including laundry and home care, beauty care, and adhesive technologies. The company holds globally leading market positions both in consumer and industrial businesses and is well-known for brands such as Persil®, all®, Snuggle® and Dial®, amongst a myriad of others. It operates facilities spread across 75 different countries, currently employing over 53,000 people.
Henkel in Bowling Green is a noteworthy community economic development engine. The company’s supplier network, including in the transportation and packaging sectors, further magnifies the impact locally. Henkel provides more than 800 full-time jobs and nearly 170 temporary positions in house, and its suppliers provide well over 500 jobs locally, bringing the overall estimated number of local jobs supported by Henkel to more than 1,500.
The company operates on a large physical scale in Bowling Green, occupying two buildings in the South Central Kentucky Industrial Park, one being 1.4 million s.f. and the other 950,000 s.f. for a total of 2.35 million s.f. Henkel is engaged in the annual SCK LAUNCH Experience event and was a major investor in creating the robotics and machine tool programs at Warren County Area Technology Center.
The Business of the Year Award was sponsored by President’s Club Bronze Star Partner The Murphy Construction Group which includes Scott, Murphy and Daniel, Scott & Murphy Inc. and Hartz Contracting.
The Chamber presented awards to targeted businesses in 5 other categories:
• Healthcare Enterprise
• New Comer, sponsored by chamber partner Quality Personnel
• Business Expansion, sponsored by President’s Club Bronze Star partner Tennessee Valley Authority
• Business Innovation, sponsored by President’s Club Bronze Star partner Stewart Richey Construction
• Green to Gold, sponsored by President’s Club Gold Star partner BGMU
Joy Hunt, chairman of the Board of Directors, and chamber President and CEO Ron Bunch presented awards.
Healthcare Enterprise Awards
For South Central Kentucky healthcare organizations that expanded operations in 2018, investing capital and creating new jobs for local residents.
Graves-Gilbert Clinic – The clinic has provided over 80 years of care in Bowling Green. This year they invested $3 million creating 11 new jobs. Graves-Gilbert Clinic is a multispecialty, physician-owned practice of over 200 providers, that span multiple counties and more than 30 locations. Graves-Gilbert Clinic employs over 1,000 people in South Central Kentucky.
TriStar Greenview Regional Hospital – Within the past year, TriStar Greenview has invested $12 million creating 212 positions, and will soon be celebrating the grand opening of their new Greenview Surgery Center later this year. Their personnel include over 600 staff members and over 340 physicians. TriStar Greenview is committed to quality.
Med Center Health – South Central Kentucky’s largest integrated healthcare system with over 3,600 employees, Med Center Health continues to make capital improvements to its facilities and in valuable lifesaving equipment, last year it spent over $33 million for new equipment and construction, creating 60 new jobs.
Newcomer Awards – Sponsored by Quality Personnel
For companies that are new to South Central Kentucky and have announced a location here within the past 12 months.
Rhenus Automotive Operations LLC – It was the Kentucky Transpark’s first new tenant for 2018 and invested nearly $7 million and created 62 jobs in Bowling Green. The company’s investment included equipment and employee training, and produced four different automotive chassis and interior modules for companies in close proximity to the South Central Kentucky region.
American Leather Direct Inc. – This year it broke ground on their new distribution facility on Central Avenue in Bowling Green. The $2.8 million project included the construction of a 46,410-s.f. facility and brought 11 new jobs to Warren County. American Leather Direct was formed in 2010 when the family-owned and operated tannery, purchased its distributor of more than 26 years.
Crown Verity USA Inc. – In 2018, it located its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Warren County with a $3.6 million investment that created 25 new jobs. The multiphase project in the Kentucky Transpark initially included a 60,000-s.f. warehousing and distribution center and will grow to include a vertically integrated supply chain for Crown Verity’s fabrication, assembly and packaging operations.
Business Expansion Awards – Sponsored by President’s Club Bronze Star Partner Tennessee Valley Authority
For South Central Kentucky companies that expanded operations in 2018, investing capital and creating jobs for local residents.
Owl’s Head Alloys Inc. – This year it invested $3 million and created 16 new jobs in South Central Kentucky. Owl’s Head constructed a new material storage facility, expanded its current facility to house a fourth furnace, which increased processing capacity by an additional 60 million pounds annually, and it hired and trained new employees.
The Pink Lily Boutique – It doubled the footprint of its state-of-the-art fulfillment center in South Central Kentucky Industrial Park this year to more than 50,000 s.f. of office and industrial space. This project was a $2.05 million investment that will create up to 56 new jobs over the next five years.
Berry Global Inc. – This year Berry Global announced plans to expand its existing facility by the addition of two new blown-film extrusion lines at a cost of approximately $16.46 million, creating 20 new jobs over the next five years. This is Berry’s second expansion at this location in the last five years.
Stryker Logistics – Stryker relocated its international headquarters to 308 Dishman Lane. Since operations began in 2015 with one employee, it has experienced explosive growth. This project was the first new construction for the company and was a $1.45 million capital investment creating 50 new jobs. In three years, Stryker Logistics has grown to employ 14 people.
Afni Inc. – Afni’s second expansion in Bowling Green added 86 new jobs and invested $315,800 into office space, including the installation of new equipment. Afni currently employs 230 people. Afni will add 86 customer service representatives to its Bowling Green contact center in support of a new premier-brand client in the retail industry.
Bowling Green Metalforming LLC – The 2017 Business of the Year Awardee expanded its over 1 million-s.f. facility on Cosma Drive in the Kentucky Transpark in 2018, investing $14.2 million and creating 27 new jobs. BGM serves customers like General Motors and Ford Motor Co. and currently employs over 1,600 people at the Transpark – representing 70 percent of the park’s total employment.
Alpla Inc. – Austrian-based Alpla, Inc. expanded their Bowling Green operations with a $6.9 million project including the addition of new equipment, 100,000 square-feet of warehouse space and 24 new jobs. Alpla’s original announcement in 2013 included the creation of 72 new jobs, $22.4 million in capital investment and the purchase of the Bowling Green Area Economic Development Authority’s Speculative Building IV in the Kentucky Transpark.
Reinhart Foodservice LLC – Reinhart announced plans for an expansion at its 70,000-s.f. facility in the South Central Kentucky Industrial Park this year. This project more than doubles Reinhart’s existing footprint and includes $14.2 million in capital investment and the addition of 50 new jobs. Reinhart employs 250 people in its two Kentucky facilities, including 99 employees at their full-service Bowling Green facility.
Precision Strip Inc. – Precision Strip Inc. announced the expansion of their facility on Scotty’s Way this year. This project was a $16.2 million capital investment, adding 16 new jobs and 80,000 s.f. to its facility. This is its first expansion in Bowling Green since locating in Scotty’s Industrial Park in 2016 and brings total Warren County investment to $31.7 million and 31 new jobs.
Business Innovation Awards – Sponsored by President’s Club Bronze Star Partner Stewart Richey Construction
For South Central Kentucky companies that – through product or process – best exemplify innovative leadership.
Blake-Philips – Building on government and military network defense techniques, they have scaled the world of cyber defense down in order to make it accessible to businesses of all sizes. Blake-Philips’ personnel partake in many different classified cyber defense research and development projects, while also providing real-time network defense for large-scale joint military exercises. It also is the main provider of Advantage Kentucky Alliance, giving its manufacturing clients excellent cyber security training and support.
Green to Gold Award – Sponsored by President’s Club Gold Star Partner BGMU
For companies that – through product or process – best exemplify “green” leadership as it pertains to the region’s goals to become a leader in this emerging field.
Fruit of the Loom – Fruit of the Loom was one of the first companies to join the Cotton LEADS™ program, an initiative focused on sustainability, transparent supply chains, and best practices.Cotton LEADS™ is committed to improving farm production practices, environmental stewardship and the circulation of best practices throughout the world’s cotton producing countries. Fruit of the Loom joining Cotton LEADS™ shows they’ve set their sustainability standards high.
In addition to the award sponsors listed above, other partners sponsored portions of the event: US Bank; CGS Machine & Tool; Gerald Printing; and
Warren County Water District
Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce is a 5-Star accredited chamber by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and was named the 2009 Chamber of the Year by the American Chamber of Commerce Executives. As the fourth largest chamber in Kentucky, it serves as a premier business advocate for its more than 1,300 partners and is the driving force for economic development in South Central Kentucky.
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