Published: March 04, 2008 05:55 pm         

New business to bring 50 jobs

Company buys $2 million building in industrial park

About 50 jobs are to open in Laurel County upon the opening of a secondary wood products company in the Industrial Park.

The company, owned by Begley properties and an unnamed Wisconsin-based company, is still in the start-up process. However, officials have signed an agreement with the London-Laurel County Industrial Development Authority and the Laurel County Fiscal Court purchasing a speculation building in the park.

Industrial Development Authority Executive Director Dennis Karr said the companies paid $2 million for the 65,000-square-foot building.

“This is the fourth spec building we have built and sold,” Karr said. “Doing this cuts about six months off the construction time.”

It is unclear exactly what the company will manufacture, Karr noted, but it will be secondary wood products, such as cabinets or furniture.

The 50 initial jobs, among which are manufacturing and office positions, will pay between $10 and $18 per hour and will include benefits, he said.

It has not yet been established when or where interested people may apply for the jobs. Karr said production is expected to begin in late 2008 or early 2009.

“At this point, it is too far down the road,” he pointed out.

Although the ink on the agreement might still be wet, the Industrial Authority and the Fiscal Court are already planning construction on another spec building in the Industrial Park.

At Thursday’s Fiscal Court meeting, magistrates approved a proposal for the county to apply for a $225,000 grant, funded by coal severance money. The funds, if secured, would be used to build the next spec building.

Laurel County Judge-Executive Lawrence Kuhl told magistrates the new building is to be smaller than previous spec buildings, with between 15,000 and 25,000 square feet of floor space.

However, the smaller size makes it attractive to more companies and gives a company needing more space a head start on construction, Kuhl said.

Magistrate David Bruner questioned the benefit of the spec buildings as opposed to the company having an open piece of land on which to custom build.

“You want to be able to show more than just a piece of land,” Kuhl explained.

While the Industrial Authority does not have an available spec building, Karr said there are open building sites in the Industrial Park and near the airport. The former Therm-o-disc building, off KY 1006, is also for sale.

“We have plenty of sites available,” Karr said.