Industrial Machinery & Equipment

The Industrial Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing sector in Northern Kentucky supports other manufacturing and supply chain activity in the region, including the industrial automation and AI capabilities that can be built into the machinery and equipment it offers to customers.

Northern Kentucky blends deep manufacturing know-how with a logistics backbone few regions can match. OEMs and tiered suppliers find fast access to customers, skilled machinists and mechatronics talent, competitive utilities, and a pro-business climate—ideal for building, assembling, and servicing production equipment, tooling, and automation systems.

“The state tax incentives will allow R.A Jones to invest in various corporate initiatives and projects designed to strengthen our current workforce, expand our manufacturing and service capabilities, and increase research and development resources to help us attain our full market growth potential over the next 10 years. The R.A Jones leadership team is honored to have been approved for these tax incentives and excited to continue its 115-plus-year tradition of contributing to Northern Kentucky’s growing economy and providing quality job opportunities for residents of the surrounding communities.”

Jonathon Titterton, former CEO of R.A Jones

As more businesses adopt advanced manufacturing technology in Kentucky, the region continues to build a strong reputation for high-tech manufacturing and innovation and the skilled workforce to support the industry. With a central location, available workforce, and strong infrastructure, Northern Kentucky is a key destination for companies focused on automation, robotics manufacturing, and Industry 4.0 technologies.

There are 25 four-year colleges/universities and 11 community and technical colleges located about 75 miles from Northern Kentucky. Business leaders cite the talent –dedication, education, and training combined with a willingness to learn– as a major asset for NKY.

In 2024, Forbes named the Cincinnati region as the #1 city for young professionals to live. The talent pipeline features 6,000 engineering graduates per year within a 75-minute drive of NKY and rapidly growing manufacturing technician programs at Gateway Community & Technical College. The Northern Kentucky Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (NKY FAME) program at Gateway offers students the opportunity to work at a manufacturing company while attending classes and earning a degree at Gateway, which is paid for by the manufacturing company.