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Photo: Kentucky Cabinet For Economic Development
Appriss Inc., which provides data and analytics services to help clients address safety, fraud, risk and compliance issues, will expand its Kentucky presence by 200 jobs, investing $11.3 million as it relocates its headquarters within Jefferson County, Gov. Matt Bevin announced recently.
“Appriss is a leading employer in Kentucky whose innovative technology serves the law enforcement, justice, security and healthcare communities,” Gov. Bevin said. “Its expansion and relocation will provide greater growth opportunities in the years ahead. We look forward to watching the new Appriss building go from conception to completion. We are grateful to have Appriss thriving in Kentucky and thank its leaders for their continued commitment to Jefferson County and for their latest creation of excellent new jobs.”
Appriss will consolidate services from two Louisville-area locations and relocate by mid-2018 to a Jeffersontown office building at 9901 Linn Station Road, which ResCare Inc. announced earlier this year it would vacate. Going forward, the facility will be known as the Appriss Building. The company’s developer plans a new fitness area, conference center and outdoor lounge, as well as new entrances and signage.
“We believe our employees are some of the most talented in the area,” said Michael Davis, CEO of Appriss. “They are focused on our work that keeps victims safe, helps law enforcement catch the bad guys and supports our health providers as they fight the opioid crisis.”
“We are excited to design and build out 105,000 square feet of space that will be transformational in how more than 400 of our local team members work,” said Jeff Byal, chief financial officer for Appriss. “We are making a significant investment in technology, facility buildout and office furniture, as well as meeting and collaboration areas to align to how our teams work locally and with our other offices.”
Appriss has maintained its headquartered in Louisville since it was established in 1994 as the VINE company. Appriss uses data and analytics to address safety and compliance concerns for clients across an array of government and commercial enterprises in 25 countries, with a focus on retail, healthcare and public safety. The company currently employs 670 people in Louisville, Southern California, the UK and Poland. The new Louisville jobs are projected to pay an average hourly wage of nearly $40.
Sen. Julie Raque Adams, of Louisville, noted the company’s strong track record and the impact this announcement will have on the local workforce.
“I am pleased to hear of Appriss Inc.’s newest investment right here in Louisville, which will create new jobs and opportunities for our ever-growing Kentucky workforce,” Sen. Adams said. “As a company that has been established in the commonwealth for over 20 years, I know Appriss Inc. will continue to have great success in Kentucky and beyond.”
Rep. Phil Moffett, of Louisville, noted the state’s recent emphasis on economic growth.
“Since Republicans took control of the House nearly a year ago, economic development has been the number one priority of the House Republican Majority,” Rep. Moffett said. “I am elated about the $11.3 million investment and 200 additional good-paying jobs that Appriss plans to establish in Louisville. We want entrepreneurs and business owners around America to know that Kentucky is open for business.”
Jeffersontown Mayor Bill Dieruf said officials took extra steps to ensure Appriss remained in the community.
“The announcement of the Appriss retention/expansion project in Jeffersontown could not come at a more perfect and thankful time of year. Through our local Jeffersontown Occupation Business Saving (JOBS) Program inducement, we were able to add an extra incentive toward the corporate consolidation for jobs currently in the commonwealth, but not yet in Jeffersontown, in addition to the organic growth the company expects,” Mayor Dieruf said. “We appreciate all involved in this initiative, including the Commonwealth of Kentucky and Louisville Metro that were able to also partner with Appriss and enable the City of Jeffersontown to add our JOBS Program to the incentive mix. City council and I welcome all the new Appriss corporate employees to what will be the ‘Appriss Building’ at 9901 Linn Station Road, and thank those that have been with us since the company began.”
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer welcomed the project.
“It’s an exciting day when a local business announces it is growing its high-wage jobs and expanding its services here in Louisville,” Mayor Fischer said. “Appriss’ expansion allows us to apply innovative healthcare and public safety-focused solutions at a local level. I applaud its founders and its employees, and I look forward to seeing its continued growth.”
To encourage the investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) in October preliminarily approved the company for tax incentives up to $3 million through the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based incentive allows a company to keep a portion of its investment over the agreement term through corporate income tax credits and wage assessments by meeting job and investment targets.
Appriss also can receive resources from the Kentucky Skills Network. Through the Kentucky Skills Network, companies can receive no-cost recruitment and job placement services, reduced-cost customized training and job training incentives. In fiscal year 2017, the Kentucky Skills Network provided training for more than 120,000 Kentuckians and 5,700 companies from a variety of industry sectors.
Photo: Kentucky Cabinet For Economic Development
Gov. Matt Bevin, Cabinet for Economic Development Sec. Terry Gill, other state officials and business representatives will attend the 52nd International Paris Air Show in France this week to discuss new business and expansion opportunities with aviation and aerospace executives from around the globe.
“Kentucky is a top location in the U.S. for aviation and aerospace engineering, manufacturing and R&D. We offer formidable advanced-manufacturing resources and experience, plus workforce programs that set the bar nationally, logistics hubs that deliver products nearly anywhere globally overnight, and a network of available sites and buildings in attractive communities,” Gov. Bevin said. “Meetings we have scheduled with corporate executives during the Paris Air Show will give us the opportunity to demonstrate how Kentucky meets their needs and provides the environment for long-term success.”
First held in 1909, the Paris Air Show is the world’s largest aerospace event. It brings together key players in the aerospace industry to pursue business deals, showcase technology and develop industrial partnerships.
“Aerospace has been one of the fastest growing industries in Kentucky for several years now, and it is important we use every opportunity to build upon that success,” Sec. Gill said. “The Paris Air Show provides the greatest opportunity to do just that. The ability to meet in person with aerospace executives from around the world and discuss Kentucky’s many advantages will go a long way toward developing new relationships and strengthening those we have already established.”
Across Kentucky, the aerospace industry is on the rise.
Through May 2017, Kentucky announced more than $1.3 billion in investment by aerospace-related companies. Projects include the nation’s first aluminum rolling mill built on a greenfield site in more than a generation. The Braidy Industries mill, expected to open in 2020, will produce high-strength aluminum alloy sheet for the aviation and aerospace industry as well as other sectors. The investments are expected to create nearly 600 full-time jobs.
Already, the aviation and aerospace sector is a pillar of Kentucky’s economy. It employs nearly 17,000 people statewide at almost 80 different manufacturing, service and technology-related facilities. Advanced manufacturers of carbon brakes, jet engines and turbines, cockpit avionics, wiring and control systems, micro satellites, software development, data analytics, advanced materials R&D, micro-gravity research services, industry logistics and support services and missile defense system manufacturing and overhauling.
Aerospace products and parts continue to be Kentucky’s top export category, with more than $10.8 billion in products shipped abroad in 2016. Nearly $2.9 billion in aerospace products were exported from the commonwealth in the first quarter of 2017, a 9.4-percent increase over the same months a year ago.
To learn more about Kentucky’s aerospace industry, visit http://thinkkentucky.com/Aerospace/.
This year’s Paris Air Show will include more than 2,300 exhibitors with more than 130 aircraft scheduled to be on display.
In 2015, the air show shattered its previous attendance records with more than 350,000 visitors, including more than 4,300 journalists from 72 countries.
To learn more about the Paris Air Show, visit www.siae.fr/en/.
Information on Kentucky’s economic development efforts and programs is available at ThinkKentucky.com. Fans of the Cabinet for Economic Development can also join the discussion on Facebook or follow on Twitter. Watch the Cabinet’s “This is My Kentucky” video on YouTube.