Swedish Match will celebrate a major expansion at Owensboro’s manufacturing facility, located at 1121 Industrial Dr., with an official ribbon cutting ceremony and plant tour on May 13 at 10 a.m.
This ribbon cutting follows a construction project that took place at the Owensboro facility over the last two years.
In 2017, Swedish Match announced a $40.9 million investment for the Owensboro facility that was expected to create 36 jobs. That initial projection was more than doubled over the following two years to exceed $100 million in total investments.
As stated in a release from Swedish Match, this $100 million expansion covers the buildout of a 16,000 square foot production area for ZYN — a new nicotine pouch product that has experienced tremendous early market success. The investment also brought a 34,000 square foot expansion of Owensboro’s current facility and the purchase of new equipment.
According to the media alert, all ZYN manufacturing for the US market is expected to shift from Sweden to the Owensboro facility, eventually creating more than 120 jobs in the local area.
To encourage the investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) approved the company for up to $150,000 in tax incentives in August 2017. This was done through the Kentucky Enterprise Initiative Act (KEIA), which allows approved companies to recoup Kentucky sales and use tax on construction costs, building fixtures, equipment used in research and development and electronic processing.
This expansion project involved an average of 30 consultants, engineers and technicians who have worked on this project on a daily basis.
The Swedish Match Owensboro plant incorporates manufacturing and research and development departments and currently employees 363 personnel.
Notable attendees who will be attending the ribbon cutting include President of the US Division of Swedish Match Rich Flaherty, as well as Congressman Brett Guthrie, State Representative Suzanne Miles, State Senator Matt Castlen, Daviess County Judge-Executive Al Mattingly and Field Representative for US Senator Mitch McConnell, Timothy Gilliam.
