ValorFlex Packaging invests $23.4M to open flexible packaging manufacturing facility in Kentucky
ValorFlex Packaging has announced plans to open a flexible packaging manufacturing facility in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The company, which specializes in custom pouching, lamination, and flexographic printing, is investing $23.4M into the project and creating 82 full-time jobs.
The new facility will anchor ValorFlex’s operational growth and expand its manufacturing capabilities. It will be equipped with a flexographic printing press, laminating and slitting equipment, pouch-making machines, and support equipment to improve efficiency in flexible packaging production. The site will also serve as a base for the company’s innovation in packaging design and delivery.
To support the project, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) preliminarily approved a 15-year incentive agreement under the Kentucky Business Investment program. The agreement includes up to $2M in tax incentives, contingent on the company’s investment and job creation goals, which include maintaining 82 full-time jobs with an average hourly wage of $39 including benefits. KEDFA also approved up to $50K in additional incentives under the Kentucky Enterprise Initiative Act (KEIA), which allows for the recovery of sales and use tax on qualifying expenses.
ValorFlex will also have access to workforce services through the state, including job placement assistance and reduced-cost customized training.
What people are saying
In a recent quote, Thomas Hazlette, president and CEO of ValorFlex Packaging, said, “This is more than an expansion – it’s a homecoming. We chose Bowling Green because it embodies the values we believe in – a dedication to people, a focus on workforce and a strong community. It’s the perfect place for our team to grow, and we’re proud to call it our New Kentucky Home.”
Andy Beshear, Governor of Kentucky, added, “Team Kentucky’s manufacturing industry continues to boost our red-hot economy. As companies from coast to coast look to expand and relocate businesses, many are quickly realizing Kentucky checks every box as one of the most business-friendly environments in the country and the greatest workforce. I want to welcome ValorFlex to their New Kentucky Home and look forward to the company’s future success.”
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About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
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