Two years after local and state leaders gathered at the James E. Bruce Convention Center to break ground on a major new manufacturing facility, Toyota Boshoku America has officially opened its $225 million plant in Hopkinsville. The project — announced in early 2023 and under construction since that summer — is bringing 157 full-time jobs to Christian County as production ramps up.
Gov. Andy Beshear joined company officials and local leaders Tuesday to cut the ribbon on the 365,400-square-foot facility, located on roughly 50 acres in South Park, a few miles north of Interstate 24. The plant is Toyota Boshoku’s first designated “smart facility” in North America, incorporating advanced robotics, automation and digital systems designed to reduce waste and streamline production, according to a news release from the governor’s office.
The Hopkinsville plant began producing seat frame mechanism parts last month, including tracks, recliners and motors used by several major automakers. The company, a global supplier of automotive interior systems, now operates five facilities in Kentucky and employs more than 1,100 people statewide.
The state approved an incentive package early in the project requiring an average hourly wage of $40, including benefits, across the 157 full-time positions. Several job openings are posted on the company’s website.
Local leaders laud opening, job growth
Hopkinsville Mayor James Knight said the community is “proud to be the New Kentucky Home for Toyota Boshoku,” adding that the company joins a growing base of 75 industries and 24 international firms already operating in the city.
Christian County Judge-Executive Jerry Gilliam, who in 2023 praised the concept of a “smart facility” aligning with what he called a “smart community,” said the project has continued to reflect Toyota Boshoku’s commitment to being a good neighbor. The new jobs, he added, represent “phenomenal growth” for the region.
Carter Hendricks, executive director of the South Western Kentucky Economic Development Council, said Tuesday’s ceremony marks a milestone not only for Toyota Boshoku, but for South Park and the manufacturers clustered along Fort Campbell Boulevard.
“With their state-of-the-art investment and significant job creation, the company’s newest location is adding to the region’s growing manufacturing economy and creating transformational opportunities for regional residents and small businesses,” he said.
Manufacturing, EV projects gain momentum across Christian County
Hopkinsville has seen a surge of industrial investment in recent years, much of it tied to the electric-vehicle supply chain. Ascend Elements’ battery-materials plant in Commerce Park II — once projected as a $1 billion project — has scaled back part of its planned production and temporarily paused construction, but the company still intends to make precursor cathode materials and lithium carbonate starting in 2026.
Despite Ascend’s slowdown, related projects continue to move forward. Cinis Fertilizer is building a $109.2 million facility nearby that will recycle a byproduct of Ascend’s process, and ExxonMobil acquired Superior Graphite’s long-running Hopkinsville plant to support its entry into synthetic graphite for EV batteries.
The region is also diversifying beyond automotive and energy. Kitchen Food Co. plans to open a $69 million prepared-foods plant in Commerce Park I, bringing an expected 925 jobs — the county’s largest job announcement in more than two decades. Collectively, these projects reflect a period of significant industrial growth in Christian County.
This story was originally published by the Hoptown Chronicle.
