Sekisui S-Lec America LLC, a Japanese manufacturer of interlayer film and sound acoustic film for automotive glass use, recently opened its newest plant in Winchester, Ky. The company is investing more than $43 million in its plant, which is creating 80 jobs.

Sekisui’s new facility is on 23 acres in the Winchester Industrial Park. Production capacity is expected to be approximately 6 million automobile units per year.

Kentucky is the third-largest producer of cars and light trucks and is home to nearly 500 motor vehicle-related industries. Sekisui’s major customers are concentrated along Interstate-75, and the availability of an industrial park complete with infrastructure figured prominently in the company’s decision.

"Sekisui S-Lec America is very excited about our new home in Winchester, Kentucky," said company President Tsuyoshi "Tony" Okano.

Sekisui S-Lec America is a subsidiary of Sekisui Chemical Co. Ltd., which was established in 1947, in Osaka, Japan, and employs more than 17,000 people worldwide. Kentucky is home to more than 380 international companies with 73,000 employees. Of those companies, 148 are Japanese-owned, and they employ nearly 38,000 Kentuckians.

The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority preliminarily approved Sekisui S-Lec America for up to $1.6 million in tax benefits under the Kentucky Industrial Development Act, an incentive program aimed at increasing manufacturing employment in the commonwealth.

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