A designer and manufacturer of productivity-improving machine tool solutions, Mazak Corporation, plans to expand the company's manufacturing plant and customer service centers in Florence, Kentucky.

Mazak officials said expansion will allow for increased production and support of new and additional Mazak machine models. In addition, it will increase the facility's potential production capacity to 200 machines per month to meet surging customer demands.

Coinciding with the growth of its production facility, Mazak also plans to expand customer service and support at its National Technology Center and Center for Multi-Tasking and Manufacturing Excellence and North American Parts Center.

Multiple expansions will add over 200,000 square-feet to Mazak's Kentucky manufacturing campus at 8025 Production Drive, increasing its total floor space to 800,000-square-feet, one of the largest machine tool factories in the country. Total hiring estimates for a phases of expansion were not immediately available.

A spokesman for the firm said planned expansions will allow Mazak to quickly and effectively fulfill customers' evolving needs for advanced machine tool technology and applications support, as U.S. manufacturing continues to grow in the energy, aerospace, construction and agriculture equipment, automotive and medical industries. Additionally, Mazak will further increase capacity to export machines worldwide.

"The late chairman and CEO of Yamazaki Mazak Corporation, Teruyuki "Terry" Yamazaki, had the foresight to manufacture machine tools in the United States to gain an innate understanding of its manufacturing culture and to support the industry in the best possible way," said Brian Papke, president of Mazak Corporation. "And from the day the company opened its doors in Kentucky, Mazak has continued that dedication to the support of U.S. manufacturing not only through our highly productive and advanced machine tool technology, but also through our unmatched apprenticeship and training programs to help build a stronger highly skilled U.S. workforce."

"Mazak's original goal for the U.S. manufacturing campus was to allow us to be completely integrated into the market and, as a result, better serve manufacturers," said Papke. "We have maintained our commitment to this goal over the years, which is evident in the sustained growth and expansion of our facilities. As are our customers, we remain committed to continuous improvement, and providing them with the resources they need as business evolves."

While details of an incentive package offered the firm was not available, Mazak partners with Kentucky Tech on a job training apprentice program. In Addition the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority and Northern Kentucky local communities, offer a variety of incentives including tax credits for job creation and incentives for expanding operations. The state also offers sales and use tax refunds on building materials along with investment credits for skills training projects.