The Perfect Location for North American Stainless is Kentucky’s I-71 Corridor

Find Out Why North American Stainless Located in Caroll County, Part of Kentucky's I-71 Corridor

The New Raw Steel Capital of the United States is Kentucky’s I-71 Corridor due to its strategic advantages, including geographic proximity to highways, waterways, and railways, and its central location, which makes it possible to reach a large number of steel customers in a short amount of time. 

North American Stainless, part of the Acerinox Group of companies, has a premier manufacturing facility set on 1,400 acres in Carroll County, Kentucky, part of the 1-71 Corridor. The company has expanded in several phases since its founding in 1990, and is now the largest, fully integrated stainless steel producer in the United States today, and the leading provider of high-quality stainless steel in the Western Hemisphere 

Find out why North American Stainless has found Kentucky’s I-71 Corridor the ideal place to grow and expand its business.

North American Stainless Leverages Logistical Advantages in Kentucky's I-71 Corridor

North American Stainless has a state-of-the-art production facility, which it has invested over $2 billion into, which is in an ideal location for shipping and receiving, with access to multiple modes of transportation, and a central location that puts it within a day’s drive of the majority of their customers.

“Logistically, we could not have asked for a better location,’ said Patrick Graf, Vice President of Finance and Accounting for North American Stainless. “With the number of trucks that leave North American Stainless daily to deliver material to our customers, being situated next to I-71 is a significant benefit. Approximately 80% of our customers can be delivered to within a day via truck from our location.”

There are advantages to being in Carroll County on the supply side as well. ”The location has quick and easy access to highways (I-71), water (the Ohio River), and rail,” stated Graf, adding “the ability to receive raw materials and supplies via all three modes of transportation is extremely beneficial.”

Kentucky's I-71 Corridor: Advantages Beyond Location

While North American Stainless has found numerous geographic advantages to their location in Kentucky’s I-71 Corridor, there are other reasons this is a strategic place for their company, including the workforce.

“People are our biggest asset,” said Graf. “We have been able to not only attract people from Carroll County but also neighboring counties and states, '' shared Graf. 

Graf also noted that “low utility costs and taxes have also benefited North American Stainless.”

In addition, the state-of-the-art production facility was a “greenfield” project, which provided the opportunity to plan the plant layout for maximum efficiency and offer the full range of stainless flat and long products with competitive delivery times. 

All of the production lines are on-site, which means the delays that can be common in mills with geographically dispersed production sites are not an issue for North American Stainless.

North American Stainless and KIEDA Partnership

The Kentucky I-71 Economic Development Alliance (KIEDA) is working to improve infrastructure, increase workforce training and development opportunities, and facilitate a business-friendly environment. 

“KIEDA’s efforts to support continued economic growth in this region has been a huge help to us,” said Graf. “As economic growth continues, this leads to further infrastructure development and greater prosperity for the region as a whole. With that, comes a better overall workforce, and an improved ability to attract people to the area.”

Future Outlook for North American Stainless

North American Stainless is the domestic leader in stainless steel, and 2021 was a record year for the company. In operation for close to 32 years, continued growth is on the horizon for the company. “We believe the future is bright but we know there will be challenges along the way that we are ready to meet. We will continue to invest in our facility here as we have done over the years and invest in our people,” said Graf.

Workforce retention and investing in employees is important to North American Stainless. “We’re very proud of the fact that our company has never laid anyone off even when we have gone through economic downturns. We believe we have the overall best compensation package in the area,” said Graf. 

KIEDA is here to help your company thrive in Kentucky’s I-71 Corridor!

The Kentucky I-71 Economic Development Alliance (KIEDA) can provide help and assistance whether your company is looking to locate, relocate or grow its operations here. Find out how we can partner with your business for success. Contact KIEDA today to find out how you can become part of Kentucky’s I-71 Corridor.