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On Sept. 16, 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.

Gov. Andy Beshear and Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman joined executives from Pratt Paper LLC and local officials in Henderson on July 29 to announce the company’s new $400 million paper mill, a project committed to creating 321 well-paying jobs over the next five years.

At the midway point of 2021, Kentucky’s year-to-date new location and expansion announcements show an economy resurging from the challenges of the past 15 months and positioning the commonwealth for significant, sustained growth in the years ahead.

Year-to-date, business activity has risen to very encouraging levels, including nearly double the number of announced jobs compared to the total seen through the same period in 2020.

Several promising job-creating projects moved forward in the opening weeks of 2021, including three developments expected to create 475 well-paying jobs for Kentuckians.

Despite 2020's tumult, Kentucky offers plenty of reasons for optimism moving forward. A dominant logistics industry paired with continued e-commerce growth, a resilient food and beverage sector and new initiatives to support the state's entrepreneurs and innovators are among the many factors that will help Kentucky build back stronger in 2021.

With around 4,500 facilities spread throughout the state employing 260,000 people, Kentucky's robust and diverse manufacturing sector has long supplied the world with products that run the gamut. Now, manufacturers are helping Kentucky to build back stronger than ever before.

Gov. Andy Beshear capped off August with announcements of several job-creating projects across the state, with three planned projects spanning three regions combining for approximately 250 expected new jobs and $32.65 million in planned investment.

As the state works to rebound from pandemic-related challenges, Kentucky’s economy is moving in the right direction, Gov. Andy Beshear said, referencing July project announcements, including a $62 million, 260-job planned expansion by GE Appliances in Louisville.

The past few months have created uncertainty for businesses across the nation, but in spite of the recent challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, Kentucky’s economic development and business leaders have kept an eye on the future.

In May, Kentucky recorded eight new projects, totaling nearly $117.6 million in planned investment and promising to create nearly 760 new full-time jobs in the coming years. May’s figures compare well to the pre-pandemic months of January – with

<i>Commonwealth places first in South Central Region, second nationally per capita</i><br> Kentucky continued its string of strong showings in Site Selection Magazine’s 2019 Governor’s Cup, earning the top ranking in the South Central region per capita. The commonwealth placed second nationally per capita and eighth overall for total projects, besting more densely populated states such as New York, California, Michigan, and Tennessee.