Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear today announced an expansion effort that will bring a $1.2 million investment to the state to more than double the workforce at a local sawmill.
Curran Mill Machinery, doing business as Brewco Saw Systems, will expand its current operation in Muhlenberg County, creating 20 new jobs, which will more than double the company’s total headcount of 17.
Brewco will add 11,000 square feet to its current manufacturing facility, bringing the total operational space to 38,000 square feet. The additional space will accommodate new equipment, including jib cranes, the expansion of the company’s current boom crane, welding machines, air systems, benches, and approximately six new fabrication stations.
A new, larger paint bay will also be added to meet the specifications of new products.
Kevin Curran, Brewco president and CEO, said his company has seen increasing demand across its product lines. He says the investment allows the company to build faster, better serve its customer base and grow sustainably.
Brewco has been in business for 35 years, providing end-to-end sawmill solutions to the lumber industry. The company’s range of sawmill equipment serves customers in the wine barrel, railroad tie, pallet and residential-grade lumber markets.
The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) last month preliminarily approved a 15-year incentive agreement with the company under the Kentucky Business Investment program.
The performance-based agreement can provide up to $400,000 in tax incentives based on the company’s $1.2 million investment, the creation and maintenance of 20 Kentucky-resident, full-time jobs across 15 years, and paying an average hourly wage of $27.18, including benefits, across those jobs.
By meeting its annual targets over the agreement term, the company can be eligible to keep a portion of the new tax revenue it generates. The company may claim eligible incentives against its income tax liability and/or wage assessments.
In addition, Brewco can receive resources from Kentucky’s workforce service providers, including no-cost recruitment and job placement services, as well as reduced-cost customized training and job-training incentives.