Consultants Forum Advertise
Subscribe
Close

  • Free for qualified executives and consultants to industry

  • Receive quarterly issues of Area Development Magazine and special market report and directory issues

Subscribe Now
Renew

Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

AHF Products Expands Operations at Somerset, Kentucky, Facility

11/10/2020
AHF Products plans to invest $2.5 million and create 20 full-time jobs at its facility in Somerset, Pulaski County, Kentucky. The company will pioneer a new line of highly durable end-grain hardwood flooring.

AHF leaders opted to manufacture the new line in Somerset versus their facility elsewhere, in large part because of the commonwealth's highly skilled workforce and the company's strong commitment to U.S. manufacturing and American craftsmanship. In addition to creating 20 jobs at the plant, the new product line also helps secure the facility's viability and its current 145 jobs as the market shifts from the rotary engineered hardwood flooring currently made at the plant.

Work on the expansion has already begun, and the new line is scheduled to begin operating in February.

"We continue to invest in our Somerset plant due to the quality of the products and dedication to future growth that we see from employees," said Brian M. Carson, CEO of AHF Products. "Our customers continue to see value in U.S.-manufactured products, and this new development not only creates new-to-the-world technology but continues our commitment to domestic manufacturing and grows our share of U.S.-manufactured wood products."

To encourage the investment in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) in September preliminarily approved AHF Products for up to $80,000 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 the company can receive resources from the Kentucky Skills Network.

"With this expansion, AHF Products demonstrates both Kentucky's excellence in manufacturing and that our manufacturers remain committed to creating jobs in our commonwealth as we work to rebuild our economy," said Governor Andy Beshear. "I am grateful the company chose to create these new, high-skilled jobs and further invest in Kentucky, and I look forward to the facility's continued growth in Pulaski County."

Chris Girdler, Somerset-Pulaski Economic Development Authority president and CEO said, "We appreciate AHF's longtime commitment to our community and we are excited to have worked with them in their decision making process to expand and create more jobs in Somerset and Pulaski County," Girdler said. "A special thanks to the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development and in particular Somerset's own, Project Manager Beka Burton, as well as South Kentucky RECC for their assistance."

Headquartered in Mountville, Pennsylvania, AHF Products employs over 2,250 people across its seven manufacturing locations, six in the U.S. and one in Cambodia. The Somerset location has produced rotary engineered hardwood flooring since opening in 1990.

Exclusive Research