The Tri-State has more new jobs.

Saturday, April 08, 2000

The Tri-State has more new jobs. Kentucky Gov. Paul Patton and Cintas Corp. announced Thursday the construction of a $12 million manufacturing facility in the EastPark Regional Industrial Park in eastern Kentucky.

Coming on the heels of Liebert Corp.’s announcement that it would bring about 150 jobs to Ironton, the Kentucky announcement is just another step forward after months of plant closings and job losses.

"I am extremely pleased that the first tenant in our world class industrial park under development also is a world class company," said A.V. Rash, chairman, Northeast Kentucky Regional Industrial Park Authority.

And this announcement would not have been possible without the cooperative efforts of officials in Ashland, Ky., and the surrounding counties, Rash said.

"This announcement brings to fruition the number of individuals and organizations who have worked together to make this happen," he said. "We are very optimistic and hopeful that this is only the first of many, many exciting new industry announcements."

Cintas, the No. 1 supplier of corporate identity uniform programs in North America, will be the industrial park’s first tenant and the new plant is expected to open by fall.

The plant will initially employ 125 people, who will work in three shifts. Within three years, company officials hope to increase that number of employees to 250.

Cintas’ 273,000-square-foot uniform processing and distribution facility will be the largest in the Cintas network. The average annual payroll over the next five years will be about $3.8 million.

"Cintas is proud to be a part of the Ashland community and is dedicated to being a successful, local employer, good corporate citizen and economic development partner," said Riley McDonald, general manager of the Ashland Cintas processing/distribution facility.

Throughout Kentucky, Cintas has four sewing plants, four rental facilities and one first-aid facility.

The Ashland plant will use state-of-the-art technology to process more than 40,000 garments per day. Operations at the plant will include manufacturing emblems, sewing customization, embroidery, distribution and warehouse functions.

Headquartered outside Cincinnati, Cintas Corp. is a leader in the corporate identity uniform industry and also provides a wide range of ancillary services, including entrance mats, restroom supplies and first aid products and services.

Cintas Corp. has received preliminary approval from the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority for tax credits under the Kentucky Rural Economic Development Act, a program aimed at increasing manufacturing employment in the Commonwealth.

The average wage is estimated between $7 and $9 per hour.