Ground not right at South Shore site

GREENUP COUNTY — Braidy Industries announced on Tuesday that its new, $1.3 billion plant would be built in the EastPark Industrial Center off of the Industrial Parkway near the interchange with U.S. 64.

It was originally going to be built in South Shore, on 370 acres adjacent to the Ohio River. But the company found that the ground wasn’t right for the deep foundations the rolling aluminum mill requires.

The company is in the process of negotiating to buy property in  the EastPark location. It will be near Ashland Community and Technical College, which is developing a two-year associate degree program to train workers for Braidy Industries.

The site offers easy access to U.S. 64 and U.S. 23 and has railroad access at Wurtland.

Braidy Industries CEO and Chairman Craig Bouchard said they would employ around 1,000 individuals in the construction of the site and around 550 full-time employees after completion, with an average salary of  $38 an hour.

The $1.3 billion plant will produce milled aluminum for use in the automotive, airline, and defense industries. The company hopes to begin construction in the first quarter of next year.

The company says it will be able to produce offer a broad array of aluminum roll and sheet, including 200,000 tons of series 6000 auto body sheet, 100,000 tons of series 5000 sheet and 70,000 tons of series 7000 aerospace plate annually.

Bouchard said at an April 26 press conference that the South Shore location was chosen for its proximity to transmodal facilities offering river, rail, and highway transportation, as well as a highly skilled industrial workforce. It is the first Greenfield aluminum rolling mill built in over 30 years.

The Ashland Alliance was partner in bringing the mill to Greenup County. On Tuesday, Kentucky Power was announced that a $50,000 grant is going to the to the organization to assist in paying for due diligence work needed for the construction project, including a land option, environmental studies and property management plan.

Anyone interested in applying for the company, can go to http://www.braidyindustries.com/jobs.