Area Development
Levi Strauss & Co. will establish a new e-commerce distribution center in Erlanger, Kentucky. The more than $48 million project is expected to create 300 jobs.

The company plans to lease and upgrade an existing 575,700-square-foot facility at 660 Erlanger Road, to boost the company’s rapidly growing e-commerce business and better serve its customers throughout the Eastern U.S. Work on the project is expected to begin in February and be completed for operations in early 2023.

“We are excited to expand both our commercial relationship with Kentucky and our distribution network for American consumers,” said Stephen Berube, senior vice president of Global Logistics and Distribution at Levi Strauss & Co. “We’ve seen in our existing facilities that the commonwealth has been a terrific partner to date, and we know that its top-tier workforce can help us execute on our plans going forward.”

To encourage investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) today approved Levi Strauss & Co. for up to $900,000 in tax incentives through the Kentucky Enterprise Initiative Act (KEIA). KEIA allows approved companies to recoup Kentucky sales and use tax on construction costs, building fixtures, equipment used in research and development and electronic processing.

In addition, Levi Strauss & Co. can receive resources from Kentucky’s workforce service providers. Those include no-cost recruitment and job placement services, reduced-cost customized training and job-training incentives.

“Kentucky’s ideal geographic location continues to be a major advantage as our state’s logistics sector shows consistent growth,” Governor Andy Beshear said. “This commitment by Levi Strauss & Co. is the latest evidence that Kentucky is the perfect location for companies looking to get their products to customers as quickly as possible. I want to thank the company’s leadership for its continued support of our workforce and look forward to seeing this new facility operational next year.”

According to state officials, the company’s planned investment adds to a thriving logistics and distribution sector in the commonwealth. In 2021, companies within the sector announced more than 1,000 full-time, Kentucky-resident jobs across more than 30 facility expansion and new-location projects with $181.7 million in private-sector investment in the commonwealth.

“Levi Strauss & Co. was recognized in the top 20 of the world’s most reputable companies on the 2021 Global RepTrak 100 list and has strong corporate social responsibility and sustainability programs,” added Lee Crume, president and CEO of Northern Kentucky Tri-ED. "We’re glad to add a third Levi Strauss & Co. operation and expand their involvement in Northern Kentucky."

Levi Strauss & Co. currently operates two distribution-related facilities in Hebron, where it employs approximately 300 people in total.