Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced Busche Industries Co., doing business as Xtreme Fabrication, plans to expand its existing Leitchfield facility with 25 high-paying jobs in the coming years.
“This expansion is a major step forward in creating good-paying jobs and opportunities for the skilled workforce in Grayson County, especially after the recent loss of a major manufacturer in the region,” Gov. Beshear said. “Xtreme Fabrication has been a great part of the community over the past 13 years, and the company’s increased presence will help move Leitchfield and the surrounding area forward. I want to thank the Busche family for their commitment to the commonwealth as we work to build a better Kentucky for everyone.”
Xtreme plans to expand in response to its growing customer base with a 7,200-square-foot addition to the existing facility on Salt River Road in Leitchfield. The project would include the purchase and installation of a CNC plasma-cutting machine and traditional CNC machining equipment, and would allow the company to diversify its business and enter markets it does not currently serve.
“Despite these uncertain and difficult times, Xtreme Fabrication is pleased to announce the expansion of our current facility,” said Dwight Busche Jr., the company’s president. “We look forward to enhancing our product offering along with entering into new markets and increasing our ability to service existing and new customers, and providing new employment opportunities for 25 Kentucky families in the Grayson County area.”
Established in 2007, Xtreme Fabrication is a metal fabricator and machine shop producing specialty parts for manufacturers throughout the nation. The company’s services include machining, welding, plasma and metal cutting, metal forming and equipment repair, among others. Xtreme currently employs 30 people in Leitchfield with 3,500 square feet of office space and approximately 20,000 square feet of existing production space.
Xtreme ranks among Kentucky’s approximately 4,500 manufacturing operations, which give the commonwealth a nationally outsized role in the U.S. manufacturing sector. In fact, more than 13% of Kentucky’s workforce is in manufacturing, compared to 8.5% nationally, according to the National Association of Manufacturers. Kentucky manufacturers employ nearly 260,000 people, accounting for one in six private-sector jobs in the commonwealth.
Leitchfield Mayor Rick Embry said the company’s growth is great news for the local area.
“I believe I speak for everyone when I welcome news of Xtreme Fabrication’s expansion here in Leitchfield,” Mayor Embry said. “On my recent visit with Dwight Busche and Melissa Mudd, I had an opportunity to tour the facility and meet some of the employees. Great things are happening at Xtreme. The company has been a great partner in our community for over a decade, and I look forward to even bigger things in the years ahead.”
Grayson County Judge/Executive Kevin Henderson said the project will have a positive impact.
“This project from Xtreme Fabrication to nearly double its workforce is a big step forward for Grayson County,” Judge/Executive Henderson said. “We’ve faced a number of challenges in recent months, but this expansion serves as a reminder that we will keep moving forward.”
William Thomason, board president of the Leitchfield-Grayson County Industrial Development Corp., said the company’s expansion comes at an opportune time.
“We always like to see the growth of our existing industry, and this expansion from Xtreme Fabrication comes at a much needed time,” Thomason said. “I want to thank the company for its commitment to our community and hope to see it continue to grow well into the future.”
To encourage the investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) recently preliminarily approved a 15-year incentive agreement with the company under the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based agreement can provide up to $300,000 in tax incentives based on the company’s investment of $450,000 and annual targets of:
· Creation and maintenance of 25 Kentucky-resident, full-time jobs across 15 years; and
· Paying an average hourly wage of $29 including benefits across those jobs.
By meeting its annual targets over the agreement term, the company can be eligible to keep a portion of the new tax revenue it generates. The company may claim eligible incentives against its income tax liability and/or wage assessments.
In addition, Xtreme can receive resources from the Kentucky Skills Network. Through the Kentucky Skills Network, companies can receive no-cost recruitment and job placement services, reduced-cost customized training and job training incentives.