By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette

Saturday, May 5, 2006 - PLG-TV 13 reported Friday and the Courier-Journal today that Nippon Piston Ring Co. Ltd. will open a manufacturing facility next year in Bardstown.

The Japan-based company's new Kentucky subsidiary, NPR Manufacturing Kentucky LLC, will build a 200,000-square-foot plant. The $48.7 million facility, to be built in Wilson Industrial Park, will be the company's third U.S. operation. The company supplies piston rings to many companies, including to its part-owner, Toyota Motor Manufacturing.

NPR Manufacturing Kentucky is expected to be operational by October 2007 with 50 employees, with a goal of reaching 150 once in full production. Employees will earn wages of about $14 an hour.

The company plans to reach a production capacity of 4 million piston rings in 2008 and 18 million in 2010. Once in full production, the company will be able to supply much of the parts demand at Toyota's engine plants in Georgetown, Ky., and Buffalo, W.Va.

The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority has approved offering Nippon $4 million in tax credits under the Kentucky Rural Economic Development Act. The state will also provide help developing the site and worker training and hiring.

In the Courier-Journal, Mayor Dixie Hibbs said that the fact that other auto industry suppliers were located here was a boost for Bardstown as a site.

"We were able to take them to the other plant managers, and they were able to share their experiences," Hibbs told the C-J.