$239 million bond issued to build glass manufacturing facility in Bowling Green

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - The Kentucky Transpark will be the home of O-I Glass’ brand-new, 160,000-square-foot, bottle manufacturing facility. They join the likes of Envision AESC electric-vehicle battery plant, as one of the newest economic developments in the county.

During the first Fiscal Court meeting of the new year, officials approved resolution 23-01, which allows a $239.3 million bond for Owens-Brockway Glass Container to build the new facility in Bowling Green.

After being sworn in just days ago, Doug Gorman, Judge-Executive of Warren County said this project is a great first order of business leading the Fiscal Court.

“Well, it is pretty exciting for Warren County. It is something we have been working on for a while, but it finally got approved and came through,” said Gorman. “It is very exciting to have your first order of business, and first fiscal court meeting, be this approval for this company to come to Warren County.”

The investment from O-I Glass Inc. will create 140 new jobs, paying an average hourly wage of $43, including benefits across the jobs.

“3,500 families right now feed their families out of the jobs they have out at the Transpark, and that number will probably, eventually, be over 6,000. It is the crown jewel of development projects in Kentucky,” said Gorman.

Gorman’s goal for this project is to see people bring pride back to their work in Bowling Green and Warren County.

“For us to continue to be an exceptional county, we have to find the right people to come here for these jobs, the right people who are already here to take these jobs, and to bring pride back to work,” said Gorman. “What we are not going to do is have a community that is looking for work, that does not have the opportunities to work. This is a way to better their families.”

Gorman also mentioned that Bowling Green did not pick O-I Glass Inc., they chose Vette City themselves.

“They looked at probably 12 different sites. They took a look at everything from the workforce, land, schools, infrastructure, and quality of life,” said Gorman. “When we put ourselves up against other communities we continue to come out on top because of the other things we do, rather than have just one or two things. It is pretty humbling that they looked at 10 or 12 sites, and still picked Bowling Green.”

A representative for Owens-Brockway Glass Container said the new facility should be completed towards the end of 2024.

For more information on the initial announcement, click here.

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