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Thursday marked the beginning of construction for the newest facility in the Winchester-Clark County Industrial Park.

Washington Penn Plastic Company’s new, nearly 250,000-square-foot facility will be located on 70 acres in Winchester and help the company produce polypropylene and polyethylene compounds in pellet form.

The 88 full-time jobs created with this investment will include production line operators, shipping and receiving technicians, process engineers, supervisors and quality management roles. 

Washington Penn is a family-owned manufacturer founded in 1954. The company operates over 40 plastic compounding lines in eight facilities across North America, Asia and Europe, including a production facility in Frankfort. 

Company leaders are happy with the partnership with the city and county.

“Washington Penn is excited to continue working with its partners in Kentucky and the Winchester community and to begin operations in Winchester,” said Will Torpey, president of Washington Penn.

Many state leaders, including Gov. Andy Beshear were on hand for the event.

“It is an exciting time to be doing business here in the commonwealth, and companies throughout the U.S. and around the world are taking advantage of our state’s business-friendly environment,” said Gov. Beshear. “I am thrilled to be here today celebrating this welcomed next step for Washington Penn, the community of Winchester and the state’s manufacturing sector. I look forward to watching the company’s continued success here in Kentucky.”

The governor was joined in his positive sentiment by the area’s representatives in the General Assembly.

“I am thankful to be here to celebrate this significant investment in Clark County,” said State Sen. Greg Elkins. “Washington Penn has chosen Clark County as its newest location to call home. That decision to move to Clark County, I am sure, is not a random choice. I believe it is a testament to the potential and the opportunity of our community.”

“We’ve got more expanding to do,” said State Rep. Ryan Dotson. “We’ve got more land we need to acquire to continue the growth that is potentially coming to Clark County. There is money coming to Clark County and I really feel it is a good time…It is an exciting time to be a Clark Countian.”

Local leaders were excited about the announcement.

“This is outstanding for our community from a jobs and investment standpoint, but also because Washington Penn has such a rich history in the plastics industry and an outstanding reputation for quality and community. We are thrilled that they have chosen Winchester for their next facility!” said Winchester Mayor JoEllen Reed.

“This is an exciting announcement. We are truly grateful for this opportunity. This project will add good-paying jobs and investment to our county. We want to welcome and thank Washington Penn for selecting Clark County for its continued growth and success,” said Clark County Judge-Executive Les Yates.

Construction of the new facility is expected to be completed in 2025.