Annual visits with Bowling Green industry were "almost without exception upbeat," trustees of
the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce were told Friday morning.
"Many managers told us they had a great year or a much better year in 2010 and are very encouraged
about 2011," Sue Clark, director of the Bowling Green Community Development Foundation, reported.
Clark said she gave a similar report to CDF trustees Thursday at their quarterly meeting.
Early each year Clark and several city representatives sit down with plant managers to learn how things
are going, listen to concerns and ask about ways the CDF and city can be of assistance.
While the news of late has focused on closing of the Cooper-Standard Hose Plant and Palm Plastics, Clark
said several manufacturers have added employees, are planning expansions and have business booked well
through the middle of the year.
She said a "huge expansion" is in the works for VTech Systems Inc., which operates a stamping
facility in the Wood Bridge Business Park off Dunbridge Road. Clark said the firm is considering three
possibilities for expansion that have the potential to add 300 employees to the present workforce of
200. The plant is owned by Magna of Canada, which specializes in automotive parts.
Clark also mentioned:
¥ Phoenix Technologies on Fairview is considering adding space and 10 to 12 jobs. The firm recycles
plastic.
¥ Lubrizol on North Main Street is in the running for a new process for the chemical company. The BG site
produces items for the cosmetic industry. A $20 million investment is possible along with 8 to 10 jobs.

¥ Durr EcoClean (formerly Henry Filters) on Van Camp Road is running strong, with 165 employees compared
to about 40 a year ago. The firm makes large industrial filters used in auto plants and business can be
very cyclical.
¥ GKN, also at WoodBridge, now has more than 130 people working, up from about 55 a year ago.
"We were very happy to see as many healthy and growing operations as we did. Many are tied to the
auto industry and that is a good sign. Capital investment is a healthy sign," Clark said.
She said the former Thomas and Betts building on East Poe Road next to the CSX tracks has been shown to
at least four interested parties in the past two weeks. Clark said at least one of the
"lookers" is a manufacturing concern and two were interested in warehousing.
The former PALM plant in Bellard Business Park remains on the market but Clark said it is the type of
building that should attract a buyer in an expanding business environment.
With regard to the Cooper-Standard Hose Plant she said the CDF and city had been working with the
management for 18 months but did not have many local incentives to offer. She said the new director of
the state department of development came in "at the ninth hour" with a package but it wasn’t
anywhere near what Kentucky was offering.
Clark said there is also increased interest from commercial interests. "We’re seeing some activity
but no where near what we see in manufacturing, but commercial always lags manufacturing."
Clark also reported that funds remain in the Energy Efficiency Account that provides rebates and no
interest loans for companies that makes changes to reduce consumption.