LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Wieland North America Inc. plans to create 75 jobs at a $100 million copper and copper-alloy recycling facility in Shelby County.
The announcement comes less than four months after Wieland made public its plans to locate its new North American headquarters in Louisville with an $8.8 million investment, a project creating 75 full-time jobs.
Wieland plans to build its new operation on 79 acres off Isaac Shelby Drive in Shelby County. The plant will melt copper and copper-alloy for recycling for use in manufacturing semi-finished copper and copper-alloy products for customers throughout North America. Work on the project is expected to begin in October and be complete by the end of 2022. The new facility also will position Wieland for future investment and job creation at the site.
Wieland North America manufactures copper and copper-alloy products, including sheet, strip, foil, tube, bar and other fabricated components for its North American customers. The company also rerolls and forms other metals, such as stainless and carbon steel. Additionally, Wieland operates a distribution and processing network consisting of 15 sites nationally. Its products are used in a variety of industries, including building and construction, munitions, automotive, coinage, and electronics/electrical components.
Currently, over 230 metals-related facilities operate in Kentucky, employing approximately 25,000 people. Since 2019, 40-plus new-location and expansion projects have been announced in the state’s metals industry, creating nearly $2.5 billion in new investment and 2,000-plus projected new jobs.
The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) on Thursday preliminarily approved a 15-year incentive agreement with the company under the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based agreement can provide up to $6 million in tax incentives based on the company’s current investment, and accommodate future expansion up to a total of $250 million and annual targets of:
- Creation and maintenance of 225 Kentucky-resident, full-time jobs across 15 years; and
- Paying an average hourly wage of $30 including benefits across those jobs.
Additionally, KEDFA approved the company for up to $750,000 in tax incentives through the Kentucky Enterprise Initiative Act (KEIA). KEIA allows approved companies to recoup Kentucky sales and use tax on construction costs, building fixtures, equipment used in research and development, and electronic processing.
