January 2026
The Bowling Green market remains on an upward trajectory, fueled by business investment, job growth, and a diverse mix of economic development activity.
AKFA Aluminum Solutions to Establish First U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Bowling Green
What This Means For You: AKFA Aluminum Solutions of Uzbekistan is planning to build a new manufacturing center in Bowling Green, creating more than 300 jobs. This is the first Uzbekistani company to establish a manufacturing operation in the U.S. Globally, AKFA produces up to 100,000 tons of product across 20 facilities each year for fields such as construction, transportation and renewable energy. The facility in Warren County will focus on recycled aluminum.
Tate Inc. to Create 400 Jobs with New Facility in Glasgow, KY
What This Means For You: Tate Inc. will bring 400 full-time jobs to Glasgow with the opening of its largest North American facility. The $61.2 million project is the largest economic development investment in Barren County in nearly 20 years. The company plans to renovate a 764,000-square-foot facility into a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant focused on data center components and containment products for U.S. customers.
Kroger Putting $391M Distribution Center in Franklin, KY
What This Means For You: Kroger, the largest traditional grocer in the United States, announced intentions to establish a new $391 million distribution center in Simpson County, a project that will create approximately 430 new full-time jobs for Kentuckians. The new operation will serve as a full-line distribution center, featuring scalable and automated operations to help supply the region. This is in addition to the $204 million expansion in Bowling Green where Country Oven, a bakery owned by the Kroger Co., has reinvested in Kentucky.
Pan-Oston Announces Multi-Million Dollar Investment in Bowling Green Facility
What This Means For You: A Houchens Industries company, Pan-Oston – a designer and manufacturer of retail store fixtures – announced a multi-million dollar investment in its Bowling Green operations and advanced automated equipment. The investment will modernize and is expected to increase the workforce by 15%.
Hydrogen Technology Joint Venture to be Established in Bowling Green
What This Means For You: OgmMentum Ark and Netherlands-based United Fiber Sensing announced a joint venture, UFS ARK. The joint venture will establish the development and commercialization of breakthrough hydrogen detection technologies in Bowling Green and will add new high-tech jobs in South Central Kentucky. This venture will develop hydrogen sensing systems that will enhance safety across pipelines, fueling infrastructure, and industrial facilities, supporting global clean energy.
Kentucky Ranks No. 17 in U-Haul Growth State List for 2025
What This Means For You: Kentucky is the No. 17 growth state of 2025, according to U-Haul Growth Index migration data analyzing one-way customer transactions from the past calendar year. Kentucky climbs eight spots from its No. 25 growth ranking in 2024 to eclipse its previous highest ranking on the U-Haul Growth Index of 18th back in 2020.
Bowling Green Tourism Entities Win 14 Travel Industry Traverse Awards
What This Means For You: The Bowling Green Tourism entities raked in over a dozen awards last week. During the Traverse Gala Awards Dinner at the 2025 Kentucky Travel Industry Association’s Annual Conference in Louisville, the Bowling Green Area Convention & Visitors Bureau received 13 Traverse Awards, including three gold awards for excellence in Tourism Marketing from the Kentucky Travel Industry Association.
