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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Pitman Creek Wholesale Opens Lincoln County, Kentucky, Headquarters-Operations Center

11/08/2021
Fishing lure manufacturer Pitman Creek Wholesale opened its fishing tackle producer and distributor’s new headquarters facility in Lincoln County, Kentucky. The $15 million project is expected to create 60 full-time jobs.

The new 205,000-square-foot operation came online in late September, bringing total employment at the relocated facility to 160 Kentucky residents. The investment includes new distribution equipment, conveyor systems and office equipment. Previously based in nearby Danville, the company will maintain a distribution presence in Boyle County.

“This facility brings Pitman Creek full circle to our beginning. After the purchase in 1993 we started in Stanford with a 2,500-square-foot rented space and now have the largest, most modern facility among all distributors in our industry,” said James Coffey, president and owner of Pitman Creek. “Our Kentucky employees are the best in our industry and now they have a facility to match.”

To encourage investment and job growth in the community, the state and Pitman Creek previously reached performance-based tax incentive agreements based on the company’s investment, job and wage targets. By meeting its annual targets over the agreement term, the company can be eligible to keep a portion of the new tax revenue it generates. The company may claim eligible incentives against its income tax liability and/or wage assessments.

In 2011, Pitman Creek was approved for a tax credit of $3,500 through the Kentucky Small Business Tax Credit (KSBTC) program for creation of at least one job and purchase of at least $5,000 in qualifying equipment and technology. Since 2011, KSBTC has helped small businesses create nearly 3,200 jobs and invest over $32 million across 72 Kentucky counties.

“I am glad to have the opportunity to join representatives from Pitman Creek and leaders in Stanford and throughout the region to celebrate the opening of this new facility in Lincoln County,” Governor Andy Beshear said. “Our state’s distribution and logistics sector is thriving, and companies like Pitman Creek are helping take the industry to the next level while creating quality job opportunities for Kentuckians. I want to thank Pitman Creek’s leadership for their commitment to the commonwealth, and I look forward to seeing the company’s continued growth.

Established in Somerset in 1978, Pitman Creek began as a custom fishing lure manufacturer and has grown to become a full-line tackle distributor for over 5,000 retail stores across the U.S. and 10 other countries. The company specializes in the bass fishing market, with over 30,000 products from more than 280 vendors.

“Pitman Creek Wholesale has established roots in Lincoln County, and we are proud to welcome their operations back home,” said George Leamon, executive director of the Stanford-Lincoln County Industrial Development Authority. “It has been a pleasure to work with James Coffey and his team from the initial property search to the completion of the new facility. Lincoln County is a great place to do business and we stand ready to assist any size business and industry in becoming a member of our strong business community.”

In addition, Pitman Creek 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.

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