$99 million Belmark facility to bring over 150 jobs to Allen County

SCOTTSVILLE, Ky. (WBKO) – Gov. Andy Beshear joined local officials in Allen County on Wednesday for the groundbreaking of a $99 million industrial investment in Belmark Inc., a 156,000 sq. foot manufacturing facility.

Based in Wisconsin, Belmark is a global industrial leader in packaging and labeling. The new flexible packaging plant in Allen County will mark their second expansion out of their home state and will add over 150 new jobs to the Allen Springs Industrial Park.

“This is gonna catch those people that, as I said, are leaving Allen County to go to work in Bowling Green and Franklin and down in Tennessee. This is going to catch some of those people and allow them to stay right here in Allen County and work and provide for their families,” said Allen County judge-executive Dennis Harper.

Throughout the ceremony, representatives of Belmark shared their insight into why Allen County was chosen for the expansion. Citing the small town’s charm and potential for economic growth, CEO Karl Schmidt and plant manager Jeff LeCaptain say that Allen County and Scottsville are welcoming community partners for the manufacturing center.

“The difference is, Midwest friendly is you’re going to open a door for somebody, say hi to people as you pass, but when I’m down here it’s, you open the door and say hi and you learn their whole life. As you’re walking through the grocery store, strangers coming up and talking and it’s not small talk, it’s truly wanting to get to know somebody. And I think that was really appealing to me,” LeCaptain said.

During his remarks, Gov. Beshear shared updates on the state’s economic development while fielding remarks regarding rumors of his potential candidacy for president in the 2024 election. He later made it clear that at this time, he has no plans to interrupt his second term as Kentucky’s governor.

“I’m the governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, I love being the governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky,” he said. “What we’re doing right now is special. Record job creation, breaking every export for tourism, breaking every record for exports, we’re seeing our drug overdose deaths go down every year, so I’m very invested in continuing what I’m doing right here. It’s flattering to hear your name when it comes up, but I think it’s because we’re having such success as a state, which everybody gets credit for. I think we’ve turned down the temperature, people are getting along, and we’re just getting things done.”

Construction on the new Belmark facility is set to begin in the summer of 2025, with doors opening and the facility operational in 2026.

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