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Rajant Opens Morehead Facility, Will Create 100 Jobs
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On Thursday, Kinetic Mesh wireless networks provider Rajant Corp. cut the ribbon on its new Rowan County facility, a project that will create 100 full-time jobs over the coming years with a $2 million investment.
During Gov. Andy Beshear’s Team Kentucky Update prior to the ribbon-cutting, the Governor congratulated the company and spoke with Rajant CEO and co-founder Robert Schena, who highlighted Rajant’s progress in Kentucky. The company strongly benefits from Morehead State University’s Space Engineering Program, with graduates contributing to its current staff of 24 people in Rowan County, including designers, engineers, service technicians and assemblers.
To support the project, the Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corporation (SKED) provided $1.5 million in lending, in partnership with The Citizens Bank of Morehead. Congressman Hal Rogers launched SKED in 1986 to help create jobs in Eastern Kentucky.
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Economic Development Announcements Pour in from Across the Commonwealth
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Kentucky’s strong economic momentum continued in August, which saw announcements for 14 projects totaling nearly 800 expected full-time jobs for Kentuckians and roughly $180 million in planned investment across the commonwealth. These totals helped the state eclipse $2.8 billion in planned investment and 6,600 new jobs announced year-to-date, with both categories considerably outperforming figures from all of 2020.
Here are some recent highlights underscoring the state’s solid progress:
Sept. 22 – Lighthouse Transportation Services LLC unveiled plans to add 64 jobs with an expansion in Covington.
Sept. 16 – Load Covering Solutions Ltd. announced plans to construct a $2 million manufacturing and installation plant in Trigg County, a project expected to create up to 30 full-time jobs.
Sept. 7 – Gov. Beshear joined local officials, business leaders and developers to break ground on a 122-room avant-garde hotel that is expected to create more than 40 quality jobs in Louisville’s burgeoning NuLu neighborhood.
Aug. 31 – Tier 1 auto supplier Martinrea Hopkinsville LLC announced a $31 million expansion that will create 33 quality job opportunities in Christian County.
Aug. 30 – Setco Sales Co., a manufacturer of spindles and other precision parts and specialty products for the automotive and aerospace industries, announced a relocation of its headquarters to Boone County and plans for 30 new jobs.
Aug. 26 – 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.
Aug. 26 – Gov. Beshear joined community and company leaders to break ground on a new James E. Pepper Distilling Co. warehouse in Midway, as the Lexington-based brand expands following the revival of its historic distillery after a 50-year hiatus.
Aug. 26 – Bigelow Tea Co. announced plans to relocate and expand in Jeffersontown with a $53 million investment that will create 31 quality jobs.
Aug. 26 – Affordable-housing developer LDG Multifamily unveiled plans to expand its Louisville operations with an up to $10.75 million investment to purchase and renovate a new headquarters, creating 50 high-wage jobs for Kentucky residents.
Aug. 25 – Thoroughbred Aviation Maintenance opened its new consolidated headquarters operation at Lexington’s Blue Grass Airport, a project creating up to 47 full-time jobs over the next three years.
Aug. 19 – Eddie Kane Steel announced plans to construct a $4.8 million steel processing facility in Meade County, a project expected to create 25 high-paying jobs for Kentuckians.
Aug. 11 – Amazon officially opened its $1.5 billion, 2,000-job air cargo hub at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.
Aug. 11 – Lexington-based Quality Logistics LLC, doing business as Longship, opened its new office in Fayette County, a $4.3 million investment creating 155 well-paying jobs for Kentucky residents.
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Eastern Kentucky Open for Business as Mountain Parkway Expands Again
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In August, Gov. Beshear, joined by his senior advisor, Rocky Adkins, transportation officials, state legislators and local leaders, said work on the Mountain Parkway Expansion has reached a major milestone with half of the construction segments now complete.
Gov. Beshear celebrated the expansion’s impact on Eastern Kentucky as he officially opened eight more miles of the parkway between mile marker 57, near Helechawa, and mile marker 65. The Governor also presented a $250,000 ceremonial check representing school safety transportation funding for Morgan County Schools.
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School Districts Awarded $75 Million to Upgrade Vocational Education Centers
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Earlier this month, in another significant step forward in his Better Kentucky Plan creating jobs and opportunities in every corner of the commonwealth, Gov. Beshear announced $75 million has been approved for Kentucky school districts to fund renovation projects at Local Area Vocational Education Centers (LAVEC).
“Our vocational programs are essential – providing education for our students, opportunities for our workers and a skilled workforce for our businesses to move our communities forward and continue our economic momentum,” said Gov. Beshear. “This funding will ensure that Kentucky workers have access to state-of-the art vocational facilities to learn the skills and trades they need to compete in our workforce.”
The funding can be used to cover the cost of renovations, which include updating, expanding, repairing, replacing or rebuilding a structure. Most LAVEC programs are connected to — or housed in — area high schools. The school districts chosen for funding were among nearly three dozen qualified applicants.
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