Sims Bark Co. of Georgia, a provider of mulch, soil, rock products and other landscaping material, will locate a new 21 job manufacturing operation in Whitley County, Kentucky.

According to state officials, the company will buy a 125,000-square-foot industrial building on approximately 65 acres near Corbin. Company owners plan to begin renovating the facility later this year. The project includes the purchase and setup of equipment for materials processing and bagging.

Founded in 1974, Sims Bark operates two manufacturing facilities in Alabama and one each in Georgia, Mississippi and South Carolina. The company processes raw materials, such as bark from sawmills, for use in mulch and soil. Sims Bark distributes throughout the Southeast U.S. and produces more than 150,000 bags of product daily.

“Sims Bark is excited about expanding our operations in Kentucky,” said Mark Sanders, CFO with Sims Bark. “We are committed to the local community and look forward to creating jobs for the area, while also meeting the growing demand for our quality bagged mulch and soil products. We appreciate the support shown by the Commonwealth of Kentucky and economic development officials we have worked with to make this project a reality.”

As an incentive to encourage the investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) in May preliminarily approved the company for tax incentives up to $300,000 through the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based incentive allows a company to keep a portion of its investment over the agreement term through corporate income tax credits and wage assessments by meeting job and investment targets. In addition, Sims Bark can receive resources from the Kentucky Skills Network.

“The new facility by Sims Bark adds to the Commonwealth’s thriving timber and forest-products industry while creating sustainable jobs and positive economic impact for Eastern Kentucky,” Governor Matt Bevin said. “Companies like Sims Bark are key players in our mission to bring new financial momentum to the region. I want to personally welcome Sims Bark to Kentucky and look forward to seeing them flourish in Whitley County and beyond. We are grateful for their investment.”

“I am excited to welcome Sims Bark and its new manufacturing facility to Whitley County. The addition of 21 jobs and a $3.8 million investment will be a great boost for the local economy,” Senator Robert Stivers said. I appreciate everyone at Sims Bark and all those in the Bevin administration for their efforts in securing this project in Southeastern Kentucky.”