Gov. Andy Beshear said the investment strengthens Kentucky’s global competitiveness and expands trade ties with Uzbekistan. “This announcement … is an important step for U.S. and Uzbekistan trade relations,” he said.
AKFA’s new facility will operate as a full-cycle production hub and integrate recycled aluminum billets and energy-efficient equipment to support a lower-carbon supply chain. The company, part of Central Asia’s AKFA Group with 8,000 employees across 20 facilities, produces up to 100,000 tons of aluminum products each year for construction, transportation, and renewable energy markets.
“This is more than a facility – it is a bridge between two nations,” said Ilhom Abiev of AKFA Aluminum Solutions US LLC, emphasizing Kentucky’s strategic location and skilled talent base.
Local and regional leaders—from Warren County and Bowling Green to Warren RECC and TVA—framed the project as a major win for industrial growth, workforce expansion, and long-term economic development.
The project reinforces Kentucky’s recent manufacturing momentum. Since 2019, the state has secured nearly $45 billion in private-sector investment and more than 67,000 new jobs, driven by advanced materials, electrification, and EV battery production. AKFA qualified for up to $5.6 million in performance-based tax incentives and an additional $500,000 through the Kentucky Enterprise Initiative Act.
As companies seek lower-carbon materials and more resilient regional supply chains, AKFA’s U.S. entry underscores the rising importance of sustainable aluminum production—and Kentucky’s growing role in attracting global manufacturers.
