FRANKFORT, Ky. (Nov. 9, 2015) – Florida Tile Inc., a manufacturer of porcelain tile, will expand its Lawrenceburg operation, adding 61 jobs through a $25.2 million investment, Gov. Steve Beshear announced today.
"This expansion further cements Florida Tile's presence in Kentucky," said Gov. Beshear. "The company located its headquarters in Lexington five years ago because its leaders recognized the opportunities available to businesses in the Commonwealth. This expansion of its manufacturing and distribution operation in Lawrenceburg confirms the company made the right decision moving to Kentucky."
The project will allow Florida Tile to add manufacturing lines and equipment at its existing manufacturing plant and a 215,200-square-foot expansion of its distribution center.
Florida Tile, founded in 1954 in Florida, is a subsidiary of Panariagroup Industrie Ceramiche S.P.A., an Italy-based manufacturer and marketer of flooring tiles. Florida Tile is a major producer of glazed and unglazed porcelain wall and floor tile. The company also imports and distributes these products, as well as ceramic, natural stone, glass and metal tiles. Florida Tile has been headquartered in Lexington since 2010.
In the past five years, more than 80 percent of Kentucky's announced new investment and 70 percent of new jobs have come from expansion of existing businesses. Over that time, 80 percent of those announcements and 55 percent of new jobs are in the manufacturing sector.
"Florida Tile's proposed expansion is welcome news that speaks highly of our area's dedicated, skilled workforce," said Sen. Julian Carroll, of Frankfort. "We will benefit from the good jobs and even greater investment in our industrial base. This company has proven to be a good corporate neighbor in Anderson County and in Kentucky. I wish them continued success."
"While the name of the company may be Florida Tile, they are firmly entrenched in the Bluegrass State with their manufacturing facility based in Lawrenceburg and their corporate headquarters in Lexington," said Rep. James A. Tipton, of Taylorsville. "It's because of that relationship and confidence in our workforce to produce quality products as the reasons why I believe Florida Tile is expanding in our region, and I applaud them for their decision."
"The expansion of Florida Tile is a very positive testimony to the strong working relationship between the company and the community for many years," said Sandy Goodlett, mayor of Lawrenceburg. "Florida Tile will benefit by continuing and expanding their production in a stable environment, and the community will benefit from the60-plus well-paying jobs and the financial investment of Florida Tile. As mayor I look forward to working with Florida Tile in completing this expansion."
"When a valued business partner like Florida Tile chooses to expand their operations right here in Anderson County, it is a testament of their commitment to the hard working families of our community," said Anderson County Judge-Executive Orbrey Gritton.
To encourage the investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) preliminarily approved the company for tax incentives up to $450,000 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.
In addition, Florida Tile is eligible to receive resources from the Kentucky Skills Network. Through the Kentucky Skills Network, companies are eligible to receive no-cost recruitment and job placement services, reduced-cost customized training and job training incentives. Last year, the Kentucky Skills Network trained more than 84,000 employees from more than 5,600 Kentucky companies.
For more information on Florida Tile, visit www.floridatile.com.
A detailed community profile for Lawrenceburg (Anderson County) can be viewed here.
Information on Kentucky's economic development efforts and programs is available at www.ThinkKentucky.com. Fans of the Cabinet for Economic Development can also join the discussion on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ThinkKentucky or follow on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/ThinkKentucky. Watch the Cabinet's "This is My Kentucky" video on YouTube.
The Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development is the primary state agency responsible for encouraging new jobs and investment in the state. New capital investment announced in Kentucky in 2014 totaled a state record $3.7 billion, spurring more than 15,000 projected new jobs. The Commonwealth also received Site Selection magazine's nationally acclaimed Governor's Cup for most economic development projects per capita last year. Information on available industrial properties, workforce development assistance, incentive programs, community profiles, small business development and other economic development resources is available at www.ThinkKentucky.com.