2022 Elizabethtown-Hardin County Annual Report

2022

ANNUAL REPORT

MESSAGE FROM OUR COO

When the BlueOval SK Battery Park in Glendale was announced in 2021, it exemplified what can happen when community leaders successfully work in partnership with leaders in local and state government for the betterment of the region. These twin battery plants, which encompass 1,500 acres, are being constructed on land acquired two decades ago in hopes of attracting a major employer to our community. With ample foresight, careful planning and quality collaboration, that goal was finally achieved, bringing 5,000 new jobs to the region.

But, now is no time to sit back and rest on our laurels. As we see these beacons of the regional economy swiftly take shape, it is more important than ever to strengthen our partnerships and work to ensure we as a community take full advantage of the changes coming our way. BlueOval SK is set to open in 2025, but the time to get to work is now. And that is just what EHCIF is doing.

In 2022, the ripple effects of the BlueOval SK announcement in our industrial sector were in full view. Announcements for ancillary developments in 2022 were abundant, including LOTTE Aluminum and ANP-USA, Inc. Together, these two new employers are expected to bring 215 new jobs to the region.

Indeed, the identity of our region will soon be defined heavily by BlueOval SK. Looking toward 2023, EHCIF will work toward making sure this new identity brings even more opportunities to our region in the future.

With Gratitude,

Richard A. Games President and COO

TABLE OF CONTENTS 2022 Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Workforce & Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Growth in 2022 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 In the News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 BlueOval SK Battery Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 EHCIF Board & Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

2022 FIGURES

AMONG THE NATION’S BEST IN MANUFACTURING

70+

3.5%

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AS OF DECEMBER 2022 (national average: 3.9%)

POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS

250 NEW JOBS ANNOUNCED

No. 3

157K+

BEST PLACE TO WORK IN MANUFACTURING

GROWING POPULATION IN THE ELIZABETHTOWNFORT KNOX MSA

2019 2020

8.9% 2020 2021

ROCKY MOUNT, NC

6%

7.5%

7.6%

6.7%

7.1%

8.6%

A LOOK AT U.S. AND SIMILAR METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREAS (MSA) IN 2021 AS COMPARED TO 2020 SOURCE: BUREAU OF ECONOMIC ANALYSIS, U.S. DEPT. OF COMMERCE (RELEASED NOV 2022)

MONROE, MI

$10,000

HATTIESBURG, MS

$20,000

DOTHAN, AL

$30,000

UNITED STATES

$40,000

CHAMBERSBURG,- WAYNESBORA, PA

$50,000

ALEXANDRIA, LA

$60,000

ALBANY, GA

7.5%

7.3%

$70,000

ELIZABETHTOWN - FORT KNOX, KY

2021 PER CAPITA PERSONAL INCOME GROWTH ELIZABETHTOWN-FORT KNOX CLIMBS TO $50,016

2021 2022

E H C I F A N N UA L R E P O RT 2022

1

WORKFORCE AND EDUCATION

EHCIF FACILITY MANAGERS MEETINGS

2

EHCIF TRAINING ENDOWMENT The Elizabethtown-Hardin County Industrial Foundation (EHCIF) recently partnered with the Elizabethtown Community and Technical College (ECTC) Foundation to invest almost $140,000 in an endowment that will support the region’s future workforce training needs. Funded by the dissolution of the Elizabethtown Industrial Foundation Training Consortium in 2022, the investment offers a permanent source of funding for high-demand programs and customized training to meet workforce needs.

The Elizabethtown-Hardin County Industrial Foundation has a history of taking proactive steps to shape the future of our region and position us for continued growth. This partnership is just one more way we’re making a difference for generations to come.

- ECTC President and CEO Dr. Juston Pate

EHCIF ANNUAL R EP ORT 2 02 2

In January of 2022, the Elizabethtown-Hardin County Industrial Foundation held the first Facility Managers Meeting since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, featuring a presentation and facility tour of Metalsa by Systems Manager Brett Barnes. This meeting set a precedent for a series of sessions filled with valuable information and networking opportunities for attendees in 2022. These meetings were well-attended by a variety of stakeholders and featured presentations from not just leaders in the regional industrial sector, but also leaders in higher education, city government, the nonprofit sector and more. Meetings took place from January through May and August through October, and along the way, attendees gained insight on topics ranging from Elizabethtown Community and Technical College’s Workforce Solutions program to the importance of cybersecurity in the industrial sector.

EHCIF looks forward to fostering important conversations and partnerships through continued Facility Managers Meetings in 2023.

GROWTH IN 2022 KRUGER PACKAGING • Construction is complete on the 400,000-square-foot facility • $114.2M investment representing the company’s first corrugated box plant in the U.S.A. • State-of-the-art operation employing 150 in high-quality jobs

WL PLASTICS • Construction started on a new 60,000-square-foot facility • A $17M capital investment which will create more than 40 new full-time jobs

FISCHBACH USA • Announced the completion of its new 65,000-square-foot warehouse and shipping complex • Allows for a 30,000-square-foot expansion of caulking tube production • Will result in approximately 50 new jobs

FLEX FILMS USA • $7.4M capital investment to complete a 100,000-square-foot warehouse and line expansion • Will be used to increase the facility’s output and accommodate imports from other Flex Films locations

E H C I F A N N UA L R E P ORT 2022

3

IN THE NEWS

ANCILLARY VENTURES Following the announcement of BlueOval SK Battery Park, it was abundantly clear that ancillary development would soon follow. The subsequent announcements illustrate that and further solidify that our region is experiencing immense growth.

LOTTE ALUMINUM $238.7M investment that will create 122 full-time jobs To produce 36,000 tons of cathode foil - ultra-thin aluminum foil used in EV batteries The company’s first aluminum foil facility located in the U.S.

WHISKEY HOUSE OF KENTUCKY $100M investment in a contract whiskey production facility Slated to be the top producer by volume of American whiskey in the U.S.

Expected to begin production in 2025

Producing 175,000 barrels annually

ANP-USA, INC.

HUCK’S MARKET

$49.6M investment to create 93 new high-wage jobs

Expected to open in the summer of 2023 and employ 40

50,000-square-foot facility expected to supply EV battery plants throughout the region

6,500-square-foot convenience store with 16 fueling stations and three islands for diesel trucks

The first American facility developed by the company Work on the project is expected to begin in 2023

4

ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

EHCIF A N N UA L R EP ORT 2 02 2

BLUEOVAL SK BATTERY PARK BREAKING GROUND IN THE EV PRODUCTION CAPITAL OF THE U.S.

The electric vehicle production capital of the U.S. - KY Gov. Andy Beshear

In September of 2021, Ford Motor Company and SK On announced plans to build two electric battery plants in the BlueOval SK Battery Park. Recognized as the single largest economic development project in the history of Kentucky, the $5.8 billion investment will create 5,000 jobs for residents in our region. In December, local leaders and officials representing all facets of the joint venture gathered to celebrate construction on the 1,551-acre economic development site.

ON-SITE TRAINING In another co-branded venture between BlueOval SK Battery Park and Elizabethtown Community and Technical College, plans are underway to construct a 24,000-square-foot learning facility on-site. As the only facility of its kind in the state of Kentucky, the massive training center will immerse employees in the latest technology allowing them to understand the electric battery-making process before ever setting foot inside the plant.

E H C I F A N N UA L R E P ORT 2022

5

EHCIF MISSION The Elizabethtown-Hardin County Industrial Foundation (EHCIF) provides a broad scope of tailored services to meet the needs of our business partners. Since its establishment in 1956, one primary mission has driven the foundation – to create jobs and elevate Hardin County as the top destination for advanced manufacturing, distribution and industrial companies from across the nation and around the world.

233 RING ROAD, #150, ELIZABETHTOWN, KY 42701 • 270.737.0300 • EIFKY.ORG

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

STAFF

MATT HESS Chairman

JEFF GREGORY Mayor – City of Elizabethtown

MIKE BOWERS

HEIDI PATTERSON Vice Chairman

HARRY BERRY Judge / Executive – Hardin County

GREG JENKINS

GREG PAWLEY Secretary / Treasurer

SUE FRENCH MIKE BELL JUSTON PATE ED POPPE

RICHARD A. GAMES President & COO ANDREW C. GAMES Vice President CHERRI SPALDING Administrative Assistant