A family-owned German manufacturer is beginning operations at its facility in Bowling Green. Bilstein Cold Rolled Steel expects to employ about 110 people at its plant.
The company creates thin pieces of steel for a variety of industries. Construction on the Warren County plant began in 2015. CEO Mark Loik said about 85 percent of their material will be sourced domestically, including some suppliers in Kentucky. He says Bilstein looked at about four states but decided to locate in Bowling Green because it’s a growing community and the quality of the infrastructure.
“We looked at Bowling Green and saw a bright future and thought this is a great place for our first facility,” Loik said.
He said Bilstein’s steel products will be used in safety equipment in the auto industry, and will also supply some specialized items to the Aerospace manufacturing industry. Loik said because 15 percent of the company’s supplies are sourced offshore, they’ll be watching to see if there are any changes related to U.S. steel tariffs.