Location, Growth and Prosperity

Logistics and serenity . . . Bullitt County offers a balance between business and lifestyle

With its location, prosperous towns, rolling hills, lakes, rivers and forests, Bullitt County is a welcoming area to live and work.  Families enjoy a high standard of living in a growing community where jobs are being created in logistics, printing, bourbon, plastics and health care.  Bullitt County ranks in the top 10 among Kentucky counties for household income and is one of the fastest growing counties in the state.  There are eight incorporated cities located in the county.  In 1990, Bullitt County had a population of 47,500, and today it stands near 77,000.  Most of the growth has been due to people relocating from nearby metro areas in a quest for additional space.

With Bullitt County situated between two Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), the region becomes the logical compromise.  Citizens benefit from the best of both worlds, suburban and urban living.  It is close enough to Louisville Metro to enjoy shopping, museums, fine restaurants, the arts or sports that the city offers, but far enough away to live in a small town atmosphere.  If one enjoys country living, there is plenty of green space to be had.

THE Location for Businesses

When Bob Fouts, executive director of the Bullitt County Economic Development Authority, was asked why Bullitt County was a great location he stated: “For businesses seeking sites to expand, Bullitt County offers location, location, location!”

The county is located at the center of a 32-state distribution area, which holds over 50 percent of the U.S. population within a 600-mile radius.  Since 2000, Bullitt County has seen a booming economy.  Over 20 companies recently located in the county such as AmerisourceBergen, Sabert  Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, Geek Squad City, Gordon Food Service and Zappos.com.  Along with the new companies, existing companies have also expanded during this time, including Publishers Printing and Beam Global.

Transportation

Coupled with proximity to markets, there are great transportation systems in the area.  Logistics has been and continues to be paramount to the county’s success.  I-65, one of the busiest interstates in the United States, runs through Bullitt County which has five interchanges.

I-65 runs north to Gary, Ind., and south through Nashville and onto Mobile,  Ala.  Only two miles north, I-265 runs along the northern part of the county and links I-65 to I-64 and I-71.  These interstates connect the county to markets in the East and Northeast.

Aside from roadways, the CSX railroad runs north-south throughout the county and provides an alternate mode of transportation for both goods and supplies.  Air travel is an important component of many businesses’ success. With Louisville International Airport lying just 15 minutes from Bullitt County it is convenient for company officials to visit their facilities and for customers to visit their suppliers.

Although Bullitt County is not located on a navigable river, it is within approximately 20 miles of the Jefferson Riverport International.  It consists of a 300-acre port facility located on the Ohio River.  The port utilizes intermodal transportation connections to provide fast and efficient access to domestic and world markets.

Logistics

United Parcel Service, to a large extent, is the driving force for the development in the county.  Worldport Freight Facility – the worldwide air hub for UPS sits just north of the county line and is expanding to meet the market’s needs.  By the year 2010, construction on the latest expansion is projected to be final and the facility will be able to process half a million packages per hour.  Site selection executives point to UPS’s close proximity as a key contributing factor to choosing Bullitt County as exemplified by the newly located Geek Squad City (Best Buy) and Zappos.com.

Workforce

Companies locating in Bullitt County have a large, diversified and highly skilled workforce to select from.  This is due to the county lying about 30 minutes from two MSA’s – Louisville, the 16th largest city in the U.S., and Elizabethtown.  Employees find it an easy commute to Bullitt County’s business parks.

Business Parks

Private developers have seen the opportunities in Bullitt County and have invested in business parks along the I-65 corridor.  Today, nine parks have been built or are being developed along this interstate within Bullitt County. Most developers have had ‘spec’ buildings built and have seen them become occupied.  Mount Washington has developed a municipally owned business park within a mile of the Bardstown By-pass, six miles south of I-265.  The county has boomed due to this investment by private developers and the City of Mt. Washington.  City officials have been working alongside these developers to ensure modern infrastructure is available to them.  It is this teamwork that has made the county successful. 

For more information regarding Bullitt County contact Bob Fouts, Executive Director, Economic Development Authority at 502-543-1200 or bobeda@windstream.net.