FRANKFORT, Ky. — Chapin International Inc., a manufacturer of compressed air sprayers, plans to add 200 full-time jobs with an expansion of its recently opened Rockcastle County facility and a new location in Boyle County, two projects totaling nearly $16.7 million in new investment.
Chapin leaders will invest $8.25 million and create 100 jobs in Boyle County with the acquisition of a 496,000-square-foot facility on the South Danville Bypass. The company also will increase investment in its Mount Vernon operation to $13.9 million and double job creation at the facility to 200 full-time positions.
The company produces and distributes metal compressed air sprayers for a variety of uses, including industrial concrete sprayers, professional landscaper/contractor backpack sprayers, ATV sprayers, and specialty hose-end and handheld sprayers. Chapin’s growing Kentucky presence positions the company to better serve customers throughout North America.
Chapin International Inc announced the Rockcastle County location – its first in Kentucky – last September with an initial $5.5 million investment to create 100 full-time jobs. That announcement highlighted Kentucky’s speed to market strength, as the project came together in under 10 days, and the 175,000-square-foot facility in the Rockcastle Business Park began operation in late 2020.
A subsidiary of Chapin Manufacturing Inc., Chapin International’s business dates back to 1884 when Ralph E. Chapin saw a need for improved containers for kerosene storage while working at a hardware store he operated with his brother-in-law in Oakfield, New York.
Demand for the product led to the start of a manufacturing business in nearby Batavia, New York, which quickly expanded to produce 55-gallon storage tanks and pumps, and eventually compressed air sprayers and hand sprayers. The company’s headquarters has since grown to a 700,000-square-foot operation that produces thousands of sprayers each day with additional facilities in Michigan and Ohio, in addition to its recently established Kentucky location.
Chapin’s expanded presence in Kentucky will allow the company to better capitalize on the state’s strategic location to get products to consumers quickly. As the logistics center of the eastern U.S., the commonwealth is located within 600 miles of two-thirds of the nation’s population.
To encourage investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) on Thursday preliminarily approved a 10-year incentive agreement with the company under the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based agreement can provide up to $1.05 million in tax incentives based on the company’s investment of $8.25 million and annual targets of:
- Creation and maintenance of 100 Kentucky-resident, full-time jobs across 10 years; and
- Paying an average hourly wage of $24.95 including benefits across those jobs.
KEDFA also on Thursday approved a modification to Chapin’s existing 10-year incentive agreement under the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based agreement can provide up to $3.75 million in tax incentives based on the company’s investment of $13.9 million and annual targets of:
- Creation and maintenance of 200 Kentucky-resident, full-time jobs across 10 years; and
- Paying an average hourly wage of $22.40 including benefits across those jobs.
By meeting its annual targets over the agreement term, the company can be eligible to keep a portion of the new tax revenue it generates. The company may claim eligible incentives against its income tax liability and/or wage assessments.
In addition, Chapin can receive resources from the Kentucky Skills Network. Through the Kentucky Skills Network, companies can receive no-cost recruitment and job placement services, reduced-cost customized training, and job training incentives.
For more information on Chapin Manufacturing, visit ChapinMFG.com.
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