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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

UniFirst Corp Expands Owensboro, Kentucky, Distribution Hub

09/30/2016
UniFirst Corp., one of North America’s largest workwear and textile service companies, plans a $12 million expansion of its distribution center in Owensboro, Kentucky.

The project will add 40,000 square feet to UniFirst’s existing building to total approximately 360,000 square feet of production, packing, office and shipping space.

Installing state-of-the art technology will allow UniFirst to process greater volumes of goods, afford faster and more accurate response times, and further improve customer service to its 300 business customers coast-to-coast while maintaining quality. The company plans to add up to 25 employees in the next three years.

“This addition will allow us to service existing customers more efficiently and effectively as well as accommodate future business growth,” said UniFirst General Manager Dave Roberts. “When we embarked on this expansion process, we looked at several options including expanding here, in other locations, or building a new facility elsewhere. Ultimately, the advantages of growing here in Owensboro – the region’s workforce, leveraging the economies of scale and building on the connection we already have with the community – made the most sense.”

To encourage the investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) in September preliminarily approved UniFirst for tax incentives up to $500,000 through the Kentucky Business Investment program based on the company’s investment of up to $12 million and creation of up to 25 jobs. The performance-based incentive allows a company to keep a portion of its investment over the agreement term through corporate income tax credits and wage assessments by meeting job and investment targets. In addition, UniFirst can receive resources from the Kentucky Skills Network.

“The growth of UniFirst in Owensboro shows that forward-thinking companies in Kentucky are receiving the resources they need to expand. We are grateful for their continued investment in the Commonwealth,” Governor Matt Bevin said. “We extend our congratulations to the company’s local and national management teams and look forward to their continued success.”

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