KENTUCKY PRESS NEWS SERVICE
More jobs are coming to southwestern Kentucky. Gov. Steve Beshear Tuesday announced Douglas Autotech Corp. plans to expand its operations in Christian County.
Douglas Autotech, a manufacturer of automotive controls, steering columns and shifters, is expected to create up to 115 jobs – a more than 30 percent increase of its workforce – and invest $14.1 million into the project.
“Douglas Autotech accepts the opportunity to continue to partner with our customers, the Commonwealth of Kentucky and Hopkinsville on workforce development and continued growth,” Douglas Autotech plant manager Todd Thomas said in a state news release. “We are pleased with the talented workforce in Hopkinsville and the support provided by the surrounding community. We also commend Kentucky for developing and executing incentives designed to bring industrial growth to the Commonwealth. This growth secures many more years of stable work opportunity for Douglas Autotech and its employees.”
Douglas Autotech, a subsidiary of Japan-based Fuji Kiko Co. LTD, has two North American plants – one in Hopkinsville and a second in Michigan. The Hopkinsville plant opened in 1995 and currently employs more than 230 people. The new jobs will be added over the next three years.
Kentucky continues to be a key player in the international automotive industry. Kentucky’s 465 motor vehicle-related establishments employ nearly 85,000 people. Over the last five years, nearly 350 motor vehicle-related projects have been announced in the state, representing 20,000 new jobs and more than $4.5 billion in new investment.
