Industries in Trigg, Christian, and Todd counties are starting the process of bringing their employees back after lay-offs and furloughs rocked the area economy.
South Western Kentucky EDC Director Carter Hendricks says the COVID-19 pandemic which started affecting the economy in mid-March didn’t hurt area industries until the beginning of April.
Hendricks adds workforce levels are back up to around 75% of the pre-pandemic workforce.
He says they hope to get the local economy back up and running as quickly as possible to show companies, like MSSC Inc., the need for jobs in the area.
MSSC announced a few weeks ago plans to end stabilizer bar operations at its Hopkinsville plant. The plant which currently employs 206 associates, will see a gradual reduction of 170 over the next two years. Their stabilizer bar production will be consolidated to other North American plants located in Canada and Mexico.
Hendricks adds the paycheck protection program, which had some changes approved to Friday, has helped many small businesses and even a few industries in the region.
Hendricks says around 60 area manufacturers were affected by the pandemic with 25% of them being automotive related.
