NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company announced Thursday it plans to relocate manufacturing operations from its longtime Nashville facility to a new plant in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, with production in Nashville expected to end in early 2028.
The company, a subsidiary of Altria Group, said the move is part of a long-term effort to modernize operations and improve efficiency. The Nashville plant currently employs more than 300 people and has operated in the city for more than a century.
According to the company, manufacturing operations will gradually transition to a new facility on USSTC’s existing Hopkinsville campus. The company said nearly all processing, production and finishing operations will be consolidated there rather than split between Tennessee and Kentucky facilities.
“Modernizing our manufacturing capabilities is essential to position USSTC for long-term success in an evolving market,” said Michael Brace, president and CEO of U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company. “While this is the appropriate move for our future, we understand the impact this decision has on our Nashville colleagues, their families and the community, and we are committed to supporting our employees through this transition.”
The Nashville facility primarily handles finishing and packaging for brands including Copenhagen, Skoal, Red Seal and Husky.
Company officials said employees in Nashville will be encouraged to apply for jobs in Hopkinsville or Richmond, Virginia. Workers who do not relocate will be offered severance packages and transition support.
USSTC said the move will shift operations from Nashville’s roughly 800,000-square-foot plant to a new 270,000-square-foot facility in Kentucky. The company also said it intends to sell its more than 30-acre downtown Nashville campus.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced Thursday that the Hopkinsville project is expected to create more than 200 new jobs in Christian County once operational.
USSTC said it will continue using American-grown tobacco sourced primarily from Tennessee and Kentucky following the transition.
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