# U.S. Smokeless Tobacco plans major Hopkinsville expansion  
**Published:** 2026-05-21T20:13:22.000Z  
**Source:** [Office of the Governor](https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=GovernorBeshear&prId=2758)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/u-s-smokeless-tobacco-plans-major-hopkinsville-expansion

HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. — U.S. Smokeless Tobacco, a subsidiary of Altria Group, Inc., announced plans to build a manufacturing facility in Hopkinsville that will bring over 200 new jobs, according to [an announcement from Governor Andy Beshear's office](https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=GovernorBeshear&prId=2758).

The company will be moving its manufacturing operations from its Nashville plant to its existing Hopkinsville campus which already employs 165 individuals. The relocation will allow nearly all processing, production and finishing to be completed in Hopkinsville. The Nashville facility is expected to close in 2028.

The new 230,000-square-foot facility will be used to process aged tobacco, including shredding, drying and flavoring. U.S. Smokeless is the leading producer and marketer of moist smokeless tobacco, one of the fastest growing tobacco segments in the United States. The company's flagship brands include Copenhagen and Skoal.

U.S. Smokeless Tobacco President and CEO Michael Brace says modernizing their manufacturing capabilities is essential to position the company for long-term success, and by streamlining operations and concentrating production at a purpose-built facility, they can improve efficiency and better support the future needs of the business.

To encourage the investment and job growth, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) preliminarily approved the company for tax incentives up to $4.5 million through the Kentucky Business Investment program. The City of Hopkinsville and Christian County also contributed an incentive package of $1.4 million to secure this project.

U.S. Smokeless Tobacco and its predecessors have had a presence in Kentucky for more than 70 years and currently employ 90 full-time workers in the Commonwealth. Christian County Judge Executive Jerry Gilliam thanked the company for the potential investment and said he appreciates the company's plan to create 200 new jobs, while Hopkinsville Mayor J.R. Knight says he is thrilled to see the company's continued growth at Hopkinsville's South Park and pledged the city's support for the expansion.

## Sources

- [Office of the Governor](https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=GovernorBeshear&prId=2758)
- [U.S. Smokeless Tobacco news release via NewsRadio 1230 AM/99.3 FM](https://whopam.com/2026/05/21/u-s-smokeless-tobacco-to-establish-new-facility-in-hopkinsville/)
- [City of Hopkinsville announcement](https://www.hopkinsvilleky.us/newsdetail_T3_R244.php)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Office of the Governor, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=GovernorBeshear&prId=2758.