Wink Equipment to build trailer plant in Kentucky

Wink Equipment Inc., a manufacturer of aluminum truck trailers, has announced plans to locate an aluminum trailer manufacturing operation in Dawson Springs, Kentucky. The company says it expects to produce between 400 and 600 aluminum side-dump trailers per year.

The company is expected to invest $1.55 million in the project and to hire 50 employees.

“We’re thrilled to start manufacturing in western Kentucky. It’s a region I’ve known for years and, for our company, it offers the skilled workforce, raw materials and access to market we need,” says Jimmy Wink, company president.

Wink founded American Trailer Mfg. in 1996 in Rockport, Indiana. After selling the company in 1999, he eventually Wink Equipment seven years ago to design, test and patent its own products, which it manufacturers under the Wink Trailers and American Trailers Mfg. (ATM) brands.

Assisting Wink Equipment with financing for the project, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) in October preliminarily approved the company for tax incentives of up to $480,000 through its Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based incentive allows a company to keep a portion of its investment over the agreement term through corporate income tax credits and wage assessments by meeting job and investment targets.

Wink also can receive resources from the Kentucky Skills Network. Through the Kentucky Skills Network, companies can receive no-cost recruitment and job placement services, reduced-cost customized training and job training incentives.