Key Points
- USSTC to close Nashville plant by 2028;
- More than 300 employees affected;
- Kentucky project to create 200+ jobs;
- Altria advances smokeless tobacco consolidation.
2Firsts
2Firsts, June 1, 2026 — According to U.S. broadcaster NewsChannel 5 and public statements from U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company (USSTC), a subsidiary of Altria Group, the company plans to relocate manufacturing operations from Nashville, Tennessee, to Hopkinsville, Kentucky, with production in Nashville expected to conclude in early 2028.
USSTC said the move is part of a long-term strategy to modernize its manufacturing footprint and improve operational efficiency.
Under the plan, the company will construct a new production facility on its existing Hopkinsville campus and gradually transfer manufacturing operations from Nashville. The transition will be phased to maintain operational continuity and support employee relocation efforts.
USSTC President and CEO Michael Brace said:
“Modernizing our manufacturing capabilities is essential to position USSTC for long-term success in an evolving market.”
The Nashville facility currently employs more than 300 people and has operated in the city for more than a century. It primarily handles finishing and packaging operations for smokeless tobacco brands including Copenhagen, Skoal, Red Seal and Husky.
Following the relocation, processing, production and finishing activities currently split between Nashville and Hopkinsville will be consolidated at the Kentucky facility.
USSTC said the transition will move production from Nashville’s approximately 800,000-square-foot facility to a modern 270,000-square-foot plant in Hopkinsville. The company expects the new facility to reduce fixed-cost inefficiencies and generate operational savings.
Regarding workforce arrangements, USSTC said Nashville employees will be encouraged to apply for positions in Hopkinsville or Richmond, Virginia. Employees who do not relocate will be offered severance packages, outplacement assistance and transition support.
The company also plans to sell its more than 30-acre manufacturing campus near downtown Nashville.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said the project is expected to create more than 200 new jobs in Christian County once operational. State officials said the investment could nearly double USSTC’s workforce in Kentucky.
USSTC said it will continue using American-grown tobacco sourced primarily from Tennessee and Kentucky after the transition.
Public information shows that USSTC traces its origins to 1822 and is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Altria Group. The company is one of the leading smokeless tobacco manufacturers in the United States and owns brands including Copenhagen, Skoal, Red Seal and Husky.
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