Uzbekistani Aluminum Manufacturer to Build New $80 Million Kentucky Plant

AKFA Aluminum, via the Kentucky governor’s office, announced December 15 that it would spend $80 million to establish a manufacturing aluminum operation in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The new operation is expected to create 331 new jobs.

According to a company statement, the Bowling Green plant will be AKFA’s first in the United States. The site will use recycled aluminum billets and serve as a full-cycle production hub to produce aluminum that meets U.S. energy and environmental standards with advanced extrusion, anodizing and finishing processes.

To help land the deal, state officials said the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority had preliminarily approved a 10-year tax incentive for AKFA worth up to $5.6 million, depending on AKFA meeting set goals of creating 331 full-time jobs for Kentucky residents within 10 years with an average wage of $27.03, including benefits. The state also set aside $500,000 in Kentucky Enterprise Initiative Act tax incentives.

An AKFA Aluminum Solutions US LLC spokesperson, Ilhom Abiev, said the company chose Kentucky for its strategic location and talent offerings and cast the new factory as a promising international collaboration.

“This is more than a facility — it is a bridge between two nations,” Abiev said. “This investment represents not only growth for our company, but a relationship built on trust, technology and shared opportunity.”

Kentucky’s governor, Andy Beshear, reiterated the significance of the global partnership. “Kentucky’s historic economic momentum has been fueled by our incredible workforce and our ability to attract companies from across the globe,” said Gov. Beshear. “This announcement from AKFA Aluminum Solutions introduces a new international partner to the commonwealth and is an important step for U.S. and Uzbekistan trade relations.”