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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Commonwealth Rolled Products Expands Lewisport, Kentucky, Factory

12/22/2021
Commonwealth Rolled Products Inc. will invest more than $167 million at its aluminum rolling mill in Lewisport, Kentucky. The project is expected to create 40 full-time jobs in the years ahead.

Investment in the 2.3 million-square-foot facility, located on Kentucky Highway 1957, will include new equipment and building upgrades to modernize the operation and better position Commonwealth to support automotive and industrial customers. Work will begin in early 2022 and be completed by early 2024, according to company officials.

“This is an exciting time for the company, our customers, employees and the local community,” said Commonwealth CEO Mike Keown. “The investment will allow us to complete the over $750 million investment program we started in 2015 to make the Lewisport facility the most modern and cost competitive automotive and common alloy sheet plant in the United States. I want to thank our owners, American Industrial Partners, the State of Kentucky and Hancock County for their support.”

To encourage investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (earlier this month preliminarily approved a 15-year incentive agreement with the company under the Kentucky Business Investment program.

The performance-based agreement can provide up to $1.5 million in tax incentives based on the company’s investment of $167.25 million and annual targets of creation and maintenance of 40 Kentucky-resident, full-time jobs across 15 years and paying an average hourly wage of $38 including benefits across those jobs.

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 addition, the Commonwealth 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.

“The aluminum rolling mill in Lewisport has been an important part of the Hancock County community for over 50 years, and the decision by Commonwealth Rolled Products to build on that existing presence is tremendous news for the workforce throughout the region,” Governor Steve Beshear said. “Once this expansion is complete, the company will employ more than 900 Kentucky residents, and I am confident that growth will continue well into the future. Thank you to the leaders at Commonwealth for continuing to grow their business in our state.”

Commonwealth Rolled Products was established in December 2020 following the acquisition of the Lewisport facility by American Industrial Partners. The aluminum rolling mill, which most recently operated as Aleris Corp., was established in Lewisport in 1966 as Harvey Aluminum. The facility produces high-quality aluminum rolled products for the automotive and industrial markets.

“This significant investment is a testament to the value of the Lewisport facility, its employees and customers,” added Mike Baker, director of the Hancock County Industrial Foundation. “The Lewisport plant has been a valued member of our community for over 50 years and this investment can ensure another 50 years! We are grateful and excited that Commonwealth Rolled Products continues to invest in Hancock County.”

Commonwealth currently maintains over 1,000 full-time employees in Hancock County, including 875 Kentucky residents.

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