Smart plant, strong future
Toyota Boshoku America opens $225 million Hopkinsville facility
ON THE NORTHERN OUTSKIRTS of Oak Grove near Fort Campbell, Christian County’s manufacturing momentum took another step forward in December when Toyota Boshoku America, a global leader in automotive components and interior systems, formally opened its first U.S. “smart plant.”
Shunichi Iwamori, president and CEO of TBA, says the $225 million investment “marks more than a new manufacturing facility–it reflects our commitment to innovation, resilience and long-term growth.” He emphasizes the new plant also “strengthens our partnership with this community, where we are dedicated to creating opportunities and contributing to shared prosperity.”
Located on nearly 50 acres, the Hopkinsville facility is TBA’s first to employ smart-manufacturing technologies designed to improve efficiency and environmental performance. Production began last November on seat frame mechanism components—including seat tracks, recliners and motors with gear—for automakers across North and South America.
The company is part of Toyota Boshoku Co., headquartered in Japan. With more than 14,000 employees in 23 locations across the Americas, TBA manufactures interior and filtration components for brands such as Toyota, BMW and Subaru. With the opening of Hopkinsville’s plant, TBA now employs more than 1,100 Kentuckians across five locations in the commonwealth.
“Christian County and the southwestern Kentucky region continue to see phenomenal growth due to the investment and job creation from companies like Toyota Boshoku America,” says Christian County Judge-Executive Jerry Gilliam. “We appreciate the company’s corporate culture and commitment to being a good neighbor.”
Pennyrile Electric, which will power the facility, sees TBA as a natural fit for the community’s long-term economic plans.
“This is the kind of project that elevates an entire region,” says Alan Gates, president and CEO of Pennyrile Electric. “Toyota Boshoku America brings innovation, high-quality jobs and a long-term commitment that strengthens the communities we serve.”
Carter Hendricks, executive director of the Southwestern Kentucky Economic Development Council, says the project creates “transformational opportunities for regional residents and small businesses.”
A statewide footprint, powered by co-ops
Kentucky’s electric cooperatives play a large role in powering Toyota Boshoku America’s operations in Kentucky. In addition to the new Hopkinsville facility served by Pennyrile Electric, the company’s North and South American headquarters in Erlanger is served by Owen Electric. The Northern Kentucky campus oversees design, engineering, sales and corporate management for more than 14,000 employees across 23 facilities in the Americas, making it a strategic hub rather than a production site.
In Lebanon, where Toyota Boshoku is served by Inter-County Energy, the plant manufactures molded headliners and interior trim components that support major North American vehicle assembly plants.
The company also operates long-standing production facilities in Bardstown, known for its precision door-trim molding, and in Harrodsburg, where seat components and textile-based interior parts reflect the company’s origins in fabric manufacturing. Together, these five Kentucky locations form a statewide network that strengthens the region’s automotive supply chain and helps drive Toyota Boshoku’s global interior systems business.”
