Business & Industry

GCED has received a $20,000 grant from the U.S. Bank Foundation to support workforce development and business growth efforts across Graves County.

GCED's Plant Manager's Roundtable featured WKCTC Workforce Solutions director Ashley Burns, who outlined customized training programs already underway in Graves County — including employer-funded courses at Premier Candle and a welding program at the Graves County Jail. Premier Candle's HR Manager Wade Dinkins, initially skeptical, called the program flexible and highly specific to his company's needs.

GCED has been awarded a $2 million KPDI grant to construct two 60,000-square-foot speculative buildings in Mayfield's Grace Commercial Park in partnership with Youngblood Excavating & Contracting Company.

Graves County Economic Development welcomes Premier Candle US Corp., which acquired Mayfield Consumer Products on April 2, 2026, continuing the area's legacy in candle and home fragrance manufacturing.

Mayfield Consumer Products is investing $3.25 million to expand its Hickory Industrial Park production facility, adding a 63,000-square-foot warehouse and approximately 14 new positions to meet growing customer demand for its candle and home fragrance products.

PRCO America, Inc. became the first local manufacturer to utilize the Foreign Trade Zone designation at the Paducah-McCracken County Riverport Authority, allowing the company to defer duties on imported materials and reinforcing the region's strong transportation network.

Governor Andy Beshear joined local leaders for the groundbreaking of State38 LLC, Kentucky's first medical cannabis safety compliance facility, a $1 million investment in Graves County expected to create approximately a dozen full-time jobs.

Graves County Economic Development sponsored a Mayfield/Graves County Chamber of Commerce breakfast featuring a panel of regional utility representatives who discussed the critical role of utility infrastructure and collaboration in supporting local economic development.

HVAC Distributing LLC is investing more than $5.3 million to expand its Hickory Industrial Park facility by 22,000 square feet, adding a showroom, marketing studio, customer service center, and training facility, with plans to hire approximately 40 additional employees.

Kentucky Secretary of the Cabinet for Economic Development Jeff Noel addressed Graves County Economic Development's Skybox Partners Luncheon, congratulating GCED on its accomplishments and emphasizing the central role of leadership in successful economic development.

Graves County Economic Development hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for Osmundson Manufacturing Company at the Hickory Industrial Park, welcoming Governor Andy Beshear and state and local officials to mark the start of the Iowa company's first out-of-state expansion.

Graves County Economic Development joined Universal Compressor Solutions for a groundbreaking ceremony celebrating the company's expansion, which includes an 8,000-square-foot addition and new CNC machinery at its Mayfield facility.

Pilgrim's Pride, in partnership with Graves County Economic Development, broke ground on a new $53.5 million state-of-the-art hatchery in Mayfield — a major reinvestment by one of the county's largest employers, which has supported more than 1,300 local jobs for 30 years.

Graves County Economic Development and Osmundson Manufacturing announced the Iowa-based company's first out-of-state expansion will bring a $12.5 million capital investment and 80 full-time jobs to Mayfield, offering a major economic boost to the tornado-recovering community.

Graves County Economic Development sponsored a Mayfield/Graves County Chamber breakfast featuring a regional economic development panel, with directors from four counties discussing transportation assets, business attraction strategies, and collaborative opportunities.

Hutson Inc. and Graves County Economic Development celebrated the groundbreaking of a new 50,000-square-foot John Deere dealership in Mayfield — a promise fulfilled after the tornado destroyed the original location — to be home to more than 50 employees under one roof.

PRCO America, Inc. began production at its first U.S. manufacturing plant near Mayfield, producing refractory ceramic products for the steelmaking industry and reshoring approximately 50 American jobs that were lost in the 1990s.

Six months after a tornado destroyed one of its buildings, Mayfield Consumer Products announced a $33.3 million reinvestment in its Hickory Industrial Park facility, committing to employ more than 500 people full-time over the next five years.

Graves County Economic Development hosted its year-end review luncheon for investors and community partners, with President Jason Lemle outlining the organization's accomplishments in business retention, product development, and organizational growth over the past fiscal year.

Graves County Economic Development launched jobsingravescounty.com, a new online job platform offering improved search functions for both job seekers and employers, with direct application routing and a focus on connecting local workers with local opportunities.

Graves County Economic Development introduced a new interactive mapping tool powered by Zoom Prospector software, combining location, demographic, and economic data to help businesses identify sites in Graves County and help GCED market the area to potential investors.