Barren County officials announce three industrial projects, potential 500+ jobs over time
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Summary
County economic-development director reported three companies — Bluegrass Ingredients, Union Coating and Chemical Industries, and Tay Access Flooring — are moving into South Cooper Industrial Park; local officials said hiring will ramp in 2026 as build-outs progress.
Barren County’s economic-development director told the fiscal court on Oct. 21 that three companies have committed to projects in South Cooper Industrial Park, projects county leaders said could create several hundred jobs over the next few years.
Maureen Carpenter, director of the county economic authority, said Bluegrass Ingredients purchased a 100,000-square-foot spec building for a distribution facility that will hire about 20 to 30 people after build-out. She said Union Coating and Chemical Industries plans to locate in a 50,700-square-foot building in the same park, projecting a roughly $11,000,000 investment and about 60 new jobs at an average wage of $20 per hour.
“Union Coating…are projecting to invest roughly $11,000,000 in their project, create 60 new jobs and with an average wage of $20 an hour,” Carpenter told the court.
Carpenter said the largest announced project is Tay Access Flooring, a company that makes raised floors and enclosures for data centers. She said Tay Access intends to purchase and rehabilitate a large vacant facility and expects to invest about $62,000,000 and ultimately hire about 400 employees, with an average wage near $28 per hour. Carpenter said the company is finishing due diligence and that build-out could take roughly nine to 10 months once contractors are engaged.
“Those companies will start hiring early in 2026,” she said, adding that some hiring — such as maintenance technicians and engineering staff — often begins during build-out while operator positions follow when operations ramp up.
Carpenter and county officials emphasized that the buildings in South Cooper were sold as “spec” shells and require substantial interior work before operations begin. County leaders said the economic authority and the Barren County Airport have been part of the effort to make the site marketable and accessible for corporate visits.
Brad Gross, a magistrate who leads economic development updates to the court, and other county officials thanked Carpenter and her team and indicated the court will consider an incentive package for Tay Access Flooring at a later meeting. Carpenter said she expects a large event with the company and state officials in early November and asked county departments and contractors to forward vendor inquiries to her rather than contacting the companies directly.
County leaders said the three projects are at different stages: Bluegrass is doing interior build-out for distribution use; Union Coating is completing due diligence and planning build-out; Tay Access is completing due diligence on a major renovation and expects a multi‑phase construction and hiring timeline.
