Area Development
U.S. Medical Glove Co. will invest nearly $32.5 million to produce medical-grade gloves and purchase, retrofit and expand an existing manufacturing facility in Bourbon County with plans to create 192 jobs in Paris, Kentucky.

According to state officials, the company expects its automated manufacturing operation to begin in the first half of 2021, with the production of more than 1 billion Liberty Gloves. The production process will use latex-based nitrile sourced from Zeon Chemicals in Louisville. Company executives plan to employ 45 high-level computer technicians initially with additional staff to follow as the company installs new production lines.

Product packaging also will be American-made, medical-grade paper. The company plans to explore transitioning from oil-based raw materials to plant-based, which would allow U.S. Medical Glove to produce a biodegradable product to ease environmental waste concerns.

Retired Maj. Gen. Michael Davidson, CEO of U.S. Medical Glove, said the company aims to provide jobs for area veterans. “This plant is part of returning critical product manufacturing to the United States. Our hiring of veterans is a big part of that. They bring the values and skills they learned in their military service. We describe Liberty Gloves as made for America by Americans.”

“This plant is part of returning critical product manufacturing to the United States,” Davidson said. “Our hiring of veterans is a big part of that. They bring the values and skills they learned in their military service. We describe Liberty Gloves as made for America by Americans.”

The new company joins more than 200 health care-related technology, service and manufacturing facilities operating in the state, which employ over 37,000 Kentuckians. The industry includes headquarters operations, pharmaceutical makers, medical equipment design and production, medical device manufacturers and health care product distributors.

“As we continue to fight COVID-19, we are working to rebuild our economy and create a better Kentucky,” said Governor Andy Beshear. “Personal protective equipment is in high demand throughout the world, and this new company can help meet that need. Also, as a veteran-run company, leaders in the U.S. Medical Glove want to create quality, well-paying jobs for other veterans.”

To encourage the investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) last week preliminarily approved a 10-year incentive agreement with the company under the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based agreement can provide up to $2.5 million in tax incentives.

Additionally, KEDFA approved U.S. Medical Glove for up to $50,000 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, U.S. Medical Glove can receive resources from the Kentucky Skills Network.

“It is with great excitement and anticipation as we welcome the U.S. Medical Glove Co. to Paris/Bourbon County,” Mayor John Plummer said. “This will create additional job opportunities for our current residents and furthermore give our youth another reason to stay in Paris and raise their families. I want to thank the local economic development board as well as the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development for their hard work and diligence in making this a reality.”