When MultiTech Industries President Anthony Falcone was tasked with finding a Kentucky location for its 14th facility, he never thought it would be in Franklin.

Nearly a decade later, MultiTech Industries has become a staple of Simpson County’s industrial environment. At Tuesday’s 2022 Franklin-Simpson Industry Appreciation Luncheon, it won the coveted Industry of the Year award.

“The company has been recognized for their dedication in supplying high-quality products as well as providing outstanding customer service,” said Simpson County Judge-Executive Mason Barnes.

Established in 1993, MultiTech Industries is headquartered in Chicago and is a global leader in automotive manufacturing. It now has 17 facilities across the U.S. Its 30,000-square-foot Franklin location employs 28 people, Barnes said.

During Falcone’s 2013 search for a Kentucky location, he said he found many options along I-65, from Louisville to Bowling Green. He eventually narrowed his prospects down to Hopkinsville and Bowling Green.

That is, until he received a series of calls from a customer who suggested he choose Franklin instead. At first, Falcone didn’t listen, but eventually he agreed to spend the day touring Franklin. He was sold.

“Frankly, it was awesome, and everybody was so nice and inviting and friendly,” Falcone said. “It almost felt like it was kind of fake.”

Since then, Falcone and the rest of MultiTech Industries have discovered that Franklin’s Southern hospitality is genuine, he said.

For its 10th anniversary, MultiTech Industries will double the size of its Franklin facility and add more employees, Falcone said. The project broke ground last week and is scheduled to be completed by July 2023.

In addition to Industry of the Year, Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Steve Thurmond announced several other economic awards at Franklin-Simpson High School Tuesday afternoon.

He recognized six new industries and several industries that expanded their presence in Simpson County in 2022.

Kent Kelley and David Carver, owners of South Street LLC, won the individual economic award for their work buying vacant downtown buildings and remodeling them. Kelley and Carver recently built a 300-unit subdivision in the county, which helps address Franklin’s housing shortage.

They also build speculative buildings in the county, which house corporations like Camping World and Bluegrass Supply Chain Services.

Overall, Thurmond said $175 million was invested in Simpson County’s industries in 2022, creating an additional 680 jobs.

“That is monumental for us in this community,” he said.