Kentucky State Seal

*OFFICE OF GOVERNOR ANDY BESHEAR*








*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*




*Contact:  *

 

*Crystal Staley*
*502-545-3714*
"[email protected]"

*James Hatchett
502-330-1722
*"[email protected]"






Gov. Beshear Joins Aerospace Composites Solutions for Grand Opening of New $16.8 Million Facility in Butler County, Creating 72 Jobs

"Project announced in July 2023 will serve as company’s flagship production operation"

*MORGANTOWN, Ky. (May 29, 2025) *– Today, Gov. Andy Beshear joined local officials and representatives from Aerospace Composites Solutions (ACS), a comprehensive composite design and manufacturing company focused on boosting aircraft performance and capabilities, as the company celebrated the grand opening of a new $16.8 million facility in Morgantown, adding 72 full-time jobs to the community.

“We continue to see growth in our manufacturing and aerospace industries, providing incredible job opportunities for communities across the commonwealth,” said *Gov. Beshear.* “Aerospace Composites Solutions is a company that has invested in the Butler County community for over a decade. I am thrilled to be here today to celebrate their next step as a company and look forward to their continued success and growth here in Kentucky.”

Announced in July 2023, the new facility is a result of the company’s growth, requiring a larger facility to accommodate increased production. The site will serve as its primary hub for production, innovation and workforce development and is located on Lot 1 of the Morgantown Industrial Park. In 2021, Lot 1 became the first Build Ready-certified location in Morgantown.

“This grand opening is more than a ribbon-cutting – it’s a recommitment to American aerospace manufacturing excellence and to Morgantown’s role in that future,” said* Matt Shieman, president of ACS.* “This facility embodies our vision for scalable, next-generation composites manufacturing that meets the evolving needs of defense, aviation and global aerial firefighting.”

“We are happy to be celebrating the grand opening of the new Aerospace Composites Solutions manufacturing facility and appreciate the support from all of those who came to celebrate with us,” said *Bill Smrtic, founding partner, Aerospace Composites Solutions*. “We see our investment in this new facility as an investment in the future of the local and regional community and as a symbol of commitment to the ACS vision of growing local talent and making global impact. We look forward to many successful years to come right here in Morgantown.”

ACS is a leading provider of comprehensive, advanced composites manufacturing services for the aerospace industry. The company’s services include design support, prototype creation, manufacture and certification of composite components. Composites are lighter, stronger and more durable than standard aerospace and high-performance industry materials, offering opportunities for increased performance, strength and payload with reduced maintenance costs. With a commitment to quality, innovation and customer satisfaction, the company specializes in delivering diverse composite solutions to meet the industry’s evolving needs.

*Butler County Judge/Executive Tim Flener* spoke on the significance of the milestone: “ACS’s grand opening is a powerful example of how strategic partnerships can create real opportunities for our residents. This facility brings high-quality jobs to Butler County and reinforces that Morgantown is open for innovation, investment, and long-term growth.”

*Morgantown Mayor Billy Phelps* is excited about the company’s future in the community: “We are proud to celebrate this moment with ACS – a company that continues to invest in our people, our economy and our future. Growth begins with our existing industries, but this new facility is a symbol of what’s possible when vision, partnership and community come together.”

*Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce President Ron Bunch* noted the region’s critical role in manufacturing: “The success we’re celebrating today is exactly why we take a regional approach to economic development. When one of our communities wins, we all win. ACS’s growth in Morgantown strengthens the aerospace and defense capabilities of our entire South Central Kentucky region.”

ACS’s investment and job creation build on the best five-year period for economic growth in state history.

Since the beginning of his administration, Gov. Beshear has announced more than 1,100 private-sector new-location and expansion projects totaling over $35 billion in announced investments, creating more than 60,500 jobs. This is the highest investment figure secured during the tenure of any governor in the commonwealth’s history and $14 billion more than the next highest total.

The robust job creation has been accompanied by rising wages across the commonwealth. Since 2022, the average incentivized hourly wage has topped $26 in three consecutive years for the first time.

Gov. Beshear has announced some of the largest economic development projects in state history, which have solidified Kentucky as the electric vehicle battery production capital of the United States: Ford Motor Co. and SK On’s transformative $5.8 billion, 5,000-job BlueOval SK Battery Park [ [link removed] ] in Hardin County; AESC [ [link removed] ]’s $2 billion, 2,000-job gigafactory project in Warren County; Toyota [ [link removed] ]’s $1.3 billion investment in Scott County; and Shelbyville Battery Manufacturing [ [link removed] ]’s $712 million investment, creating 1,572 jobs in Shelby County, among others.

The Governor’s administration also secured [ [link removed] ] the largest General Fund budget surplus and Rainy Day Fund. In 2023, Kentucky recorded over 2 million jobs filled for the first time ever and has stayed above that number ever since.

Kentucky also secured rating increases from major credit rating agencies Fitch Ratings [ [link removed] ], S&P Global Ratings [ [link removed] ] and Moody’s Investors Service [ [link removed] ].

Site Selection magazine ranked [ [link removed] ] Kentucky in the top five nationally and second in the South Central region for economic development projects per capita in its 2024 Governor’s Cup rankings. Last April, Site Selection placed [ [link removed] ] Kentucky second in the South Central region and in the top 10 nationally in its 2024 Prosperity Cup ranking, which recognizes state-level economic development agencies for their success in landing capital investment projects.

Gov. Beshear also announced [ [link removed] ] a new initiative, called New Kentucky Home [ [link removed] ], to increase economic investment, attain and attract talent, and increase tourism across the state.

For more information on Aerospace Composites Solutions, visit Composites.Aero [ [link removed] ].

A detailed community profile for Butler County can be viewed here [ [link removed] ].

Information on Kentucky’s economic development efforts and programs is available at "NewKentuckyHome.ky.gov" [ [link removed] ]. Fans of the Cabinet for Economic Development can also join the discussion at "facebook.com/CEDkygov" [ [link removed] ]", on Twitter ""@CEDkygov" [ [link removed] ]", Instagram ""@CEDkygov" [ [link removed] ]" and ""LinkedIn" [ [link removed] ].

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