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Carter Lumber Co., a building materials supplier with more than 150 US locations, will invest $10 million and create 50 full-time jobs to locate a Kight Home Center manufacturing facility in Warren County, Gov. Matt Bevin announced today.
“Carter Lumber and its brands have been longtime members of the state’s retail community, so it’s great to see them adding a manufacturing operation and creating new jobs in southcentral Kentucky,” Gov. Bevin said. “Carter’s new operation in Bowling Green will provide additional support for the commonwealth’s thriving forestry and home-building industries. I congratulate the company and look forward to its continued success.”
The new Carter Lumber location in the Kentucky Transpark will operate under the Kight Home Center division. It will produce roof and floor trusses, wall panels and other engineered wood products. Construction of the 70,000-square-foot facility could begin in later this year, and company leaders plan to open the location in late 2018 or early 2019.
The manufacturing operation will support existing retail locations, including a Kight Home Center and building supply store and a Kight Kitchen and Design Center, both in Bowling Green.
“As a family company, we always feel that it is important to expand our offerings in communities we already service and maximize the potential of the area for our business. This new manufacturing facility in Bowling Green is a great example of that,” said Jeff Donley, president of Carter Lumber. “This new facility will be a tremendous asset to the growth of our Kight operation and the many builders we service in the area.”
Founded in Akron, Ohio in 1932, Carter Lumber remains family owned. The company grew to become the fifth-largest lumberyard in the US, with locations across 12 states. Its four branded division are Carter Lumber, Holmes Lumber Co., Kight Home Center and Kempsville Building Materials.
Shifting focus to professional builders during the past decade, Carter added manufacturing capabilities, which resulted in substantial growth. The company purchased the Kight Home Center brand in 2005 and currently operates seven Kight locations in southern Indiana, Tennessee and western Kentucky.
Sen. Mike Wilson, of Bowling Green, expressed gratitude for the company’s expanded presence in the region.
“With Kentucky’s job growth and new economic developments, Carter Lumber’s expansion in Bowling Green is welcomed news,” he said. “The company will be a great asset to Kentucky’s growing housing industry, and I thank Carter Lumber for choosing our city in which to expand its operations.”
Rep. Michael Meredith, of Oakland, noted the wide-ranging benefits of the new local manufacturer.
“I am thrilled Carter Lumber has decided to locate this facility in Bowling Green,” Rep. Meredith said. “Not only will the $10 million facility provide much needed jobs to Kentuckians, but will aid local suppliers while continuing the trend of reviving manufacturing in the commonwealth. Thanks to pro-growth policies implemented this year, Kentucky has become a magnet for many industries seeking to expand.”
Bowling Green Mayor Bruce Wilkerson said the growing company will fit well in the community.
“We welcome Carter Lumber’s new manufacturing center to the Bowling Green’s business community, especially with the growth expected to take place over the next several years,” Mayor Wilkerson said.
Warren County Judge-Executive Mike Buchanon noted the impact the new facility will have locally.
“Congratulations to Carter Lumber on this great project,” Judge-Executive Buchanon said. “This new manufacturing center will help them serve many professional builders that rely on the products and services available through the lumberyard in northern Warren County.”
To encourage the investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) in July preliminarily approved the company for tax incentives up to $600,000 through the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based incentive allows a company to keep a portion of its investment over the agreement term through corporate income tax credits and wage assessments by meeting job and investment targets.
Additionally, KEDFA approved Carter Lumber for up to $100,000 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.
Carter also 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. In fiscal year 2016, the Kentucky Skills Network provided training for nearly 95,000 Kentuckians and 5,000 companies from a variety of industry sectors.
