MADISONVILLE, Ky. (July 29, 2025) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear joined local officials and leaders from E. Hofmann Packaging, a Canadian-based plastics packaging producer, as the company broke ground on its first U.S. operation, a $43 million investment in Hopkins County creating 164 quality Kentucky jobs.
“Our economic momentum is made possible by great companies continuing to choose Kentucky to grow and do business,” said Gov. Beshear. “This project not only brings a significant investment to the local economy of Hopkins County; it’s also creating 164 quality job opportunities for the talented workforce of the region. I am excited to celebrate E. Hofmann Packaging’s next step toward becoming operational in their new Kentucky home.”
In order to meet the needs of increased consumer demand and the company’s growing U.S. customer base, E. Hofmann Packaging plans to construct a new production facility in Madisonville. The $43 million investment will include the construction of a 100,000-square-foot building, new equipment, machinery, automation and molds. Construction is expected to be completed in 2026. The facility will serve as the company’s second production facility and first operation in the U.S, and will create 164 new, quality jobs.
“We are extremely blessed to have found such a welcoming town in Madisonville as the site for our U.S. expansion,” said E. Hofmann Plastics President and CEO Paul Kalia. “We appreciate the swift action taken by local and state authorities; their support has been invaluable as we embark on the largest project in our company’s history. We look forward to building lasting relationships in the public and private sectors while driving economic growth here in Madisonville.”
E. Hofmann Packaging USA LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of E. Hofmann Plastics Inc., which is based in Ontario, Canada. Established in 1984, E. Hofmann Plastics has over 40 years of experience as a rigid plastic packaging producer. In the late 2000s, the company diversified its services to include extrusion and thermoforming with a stronger emphasis on food customers. Since 2010, the company has doubled in sales every five years, with the food and beverage industry representing over 50% of sales.
Hopkins County Judge/Executive Jack Whitfield is thrilled to see the company take their next step as part of the local community: “This is an exciting time in Hopkins County. E. Hofmann Packaging is a great company and community partner. We truly appreciate Paul, Sameer and Vikram for putting their trust in us. This groundbreaking is the first step on a long road, and I look forward to seeing the progress of this facility and what it will mean to Hopkins County.”
Madisonville Mayor Kevin Cotton noted the benefits this investment will have on the surrounding area: “The groundbreaking of E. Hofmann Packaging represents a major step forward in Madisonville’s continued economic growth. This investment strengthens our manufacturing base, creates new job opportunities for local families and demonstrates the power of collaboration between city, county, state and private partners. We’re proud to welcome Hofmann to Madisonville and grateful for their investment in our city’s future. Together, we’re building a stronger, more vibrant Madisonville.”
Wade Williams, president of the Madisonville-Hopkins County Economic Development Corp., highlighted the community’s support of the project: “Breaking ground today with E. Hofmann Packaging is the result of months of collaboration and a shared commitment to building something meaningful for Madisonville and Hopkins County. This project represents more than a new facility – it reflects growing confidence in our community’s workforce, sites and leadership. We’re proud to support Hofmann’s expansion and look forward to the long-term impact this investment will have on local jobs and industrial growth.”
Kelly Forbes, executive director of communications and operations for the Madisonville-Hopkins County Economic Development Corp., recognized the collaborative efforts needed to make this project a reality: “Today’s groundbreaking is proof of what’s possible when a community moves in the same direction. The ability to provide speed-to-market for E. Hofmann Packaging is a direct result of the collaboration and dedication shown by our city and county leadership, utility partners and economic development team. When everyone works together with a shared goal, we create the conditions for success – not just for one project, but for long-term economic growth across the region.”
Hofmann’s investment and job creation build on the best five-year period for economic growth in state history.
Since the beginning of his administration, Gov. Beshear has announced more than 1,200 private-sector new-location and expansion projects totaling over $36 billion in announced investments, creating more than 62,000 jobs. This is the highest investment figure secured during the tenure of any governor in the commonwealth’s history and $15 billion more than the next highest total.
The robust job creation has been accompanied by rising wages across the commonwealth. Since 2022, the average incentivized hourly wage has topped $26 in three consecutive years for the first time.
Gov. Beshear has announced some of the largest economic development projects in state history, which have solidified Kentucky as the electric vehicle battery production capital of the United States: Ford Motor Co. and SK On’s transformative $5.8 billion, 5,000-job BlueOval SK Battery Park in Hardin County; AESC’s $2 billion, 2,000-job gigafactory project in Warren County; Toyota’s $1.3 billion investment in Scott County; and Shelbyville Battery Manufacturing’s $712 million investment, creating 1,572 jobs in Shelby County, among others.
The Governor’s administration also secured the largest General Fund budget surplus and Rainy Day Fund. In 2023, Kentucky recorded over 2 million jobs filled for the first time ever and has stayed above that number ever since.
Kentucky also secured rating increases from major credit rating agencies Fitch Ratings, S&P Global Ratings and Moody’s Investors Service.
Earlier this year, Site Selection magazine ranked Kentucky in the top five nationally and second in the South Central region for economic development projects per capita in its 2024 Governor’s Cup rankings. Site Selection also placed Kentucky second in the South Central region and No. 6 nationally in its 2025 Prosperity Cup ranking, which recognizes state-level economic development agencies for their success in landing capital investment projects.
Gov. Beshear also announced a new initiative, called New Kentucky Home, to increase economic investment, attain and attract talent, and increase tourism across the state.
To encourage investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) last month preliminarily approved incentive agreements with the company under the Kentucky Business Investment (KBI) program and Kentucky Enterprise Initiative Act (KEIA).
By meeting its annual targets over the agreement term, the company can be eligible to keep a portion of the new tax revenue it generates. The company may claim eligible incentives against its income tax liability and/or wage assessments.
In addition, E. Hofmann Packaging can receive resources from Kentucky’s workforce service providers. Those include no-cost recruitment and job placement services, reduced-cost customized training and job-training incentives.
For more information on E. Hofmann Plastics, visit hofmannplastics.com.
A detailed community profile for Hopkins County can be viewed here.
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