Gov. Beshear Designates October as Manufacturing Month in Kentucky
Today, Gov. Beshear designated October as Manufacturing Month in the commonwealth as the industy continues to be at the center of Kentucky’s record economic growth and job creation with approximately 6,000 facilities employing more than 260,000 Kentuckians.
“Kentucky plays an important and key role in the nation’s manufacturing sector thanks to the thousands of businesses statewide that make up our manufacturing network,” said Gov. Beshear. “From our diverse food and beverage industry to aerospace to the automotive and electric vehicle market that is reaching new heights every year, manufacturing is at the center of our recent success and that will continue to be true for decades to come. I want to thank every manufacturer across the commonwealth for their part in our continued success, as well as every single resident who works to produce Kentucky-made products that are distributed around the world.”
Manufacturing has been a central part of Kentucky’s best two years on record for private-sector growth in 2021 and 2022, as well as the state’s continued momentum into 2023 and 2024. The industry helps to encourage rising wages for families throughout the commonwealth. The industry also contributes $38 billion annually to the state’s gross domestic product. Manufacturers factor in the success of several key industries in the commonwealth, including automotive and EV, aerospace, distribution and logistics, metals, health care, food and beverage, agritech and numerous others.
Webinar: KPDI Program of 2024
The site and building development program was established in 2022 through a collaboration between the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development and Kentucky Association for Economic Development (KAED). The initiative provides funding for local communities statewide to increase investment in site and building upgrades to attract future job creation and economic growth.
Last week’s webinar provided information on the schedule and important deadlines for the Kentucky Product Development Initiative (KPDI) Program of 2024, including an overview of the RFI documentation process and highlighting the differences between this year’s initiative with the two rounds of the KPDI Program of 2022.
