Kentucky Association of Manufacturers

What Kentucky Association of Manufacturers does

The Kentucky Association of Manufacturers (KAM) is a private, non-profit trade association founded over a century ago and headquartered in Frankfort, Kentucky, that serves as the primary advocacy and member-services body for the Commonwealth's manufacturing sector. It represents manufacturers of all sizes across automotive, aerospace, defense, chemicals, food processing, and general manufacturing, organized through four industry councils (Chemistry, Defense and Aerospace, Automotive, and Legal Affairs) plus the recently launched KAM Automotive Council. Its core service portfolio combines state and federal policy advocacy in Frankfort and Washington, D.C., cost-saving member benefit programs (group health insurance via Anthem, workers' compensation via AGC/SIF, pharmacy benefit management via AffirmedRx, and discount programs with UPS and Office Depot), and signature programs including the Manufacturer of the Year awards, the Coolest Thing Made in Kentucky tournament, the annual Kentucky Industry Conference, the Kentucky Legislature Blue Book publication, and the Wage and Workforce Study report. There is no proprietary technology product; KAM operates as a membership and advocacy platform backed by a small staff of 1-10 employees and a board of senior industry executives.

KAM generates revenue primarily through recurring membership dues paid by Kentucky manufacturers, supplemented by one-time publication sales (Blue Book at $12-17 per copy depending on volume, sold via the GrowthZone-powered KAM store) and annual research report sales (Wage & Workforce Study with regional reports available for areas with at least 35 participating companies). The go-to-market motion is sales-led: direct outreach, board member referrals, industry events, and a 2024 joint membership alliance with AGC of Kentucky. Distribution occurs through kam.us.com, the CoolestThingKY.com public tournament site, social media channels, regional manufacturing briefings at KCTCS campuses, and the annual Kentucky Industry Conference co-hosted with the Metals Innovation Initiative and KY-MEP. The organization is governed by a board chaired by Kerry Creech (President of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky) and led by President and CEO Frank Jemley III, with revenue, financial performance, and membership counts not publicly disclosed.

Name

Kentucky Association of Manufacturers

Legal name

Kentucky Association of Manufacturers

Website

https://kam.us.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1911

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kentucky Association of Manufacturers is a non-profit trade association founded over a century ago in Frankfort, Kentucky, that advocates for and provides member services to the Commonwealth's manufacturers across automotive, aerospace, chemicals, and general manufacturing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Frankfort

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: KAM generates revenue through membership dues from manufacturing companies across Kentucky. Members receive benefits including group health insurance, workers' compensation programs, pharmacy benefit management, shipping discounts, and office supply savings.
2. Blue Book Sales: KAM sells the Kentucky Legislature Blue Book containing contact information for legislators, committee assignments, and photos. Pricing: $17.00 each for 1-4 copies, $15.00 each for 5-9 copies, $12.00 each for 10+ copies.
3. Wage & Workforce Study Reports: KAM sells annual Wage & Workforce Study reports to manufacturers and other interested parties. Regional reports available for workforce areas with at least 35 participating companies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Kentucky Association of Manufacturers (KAM) is a nonprofit trade association that delivers state and federal policy advocacy, cost-saving member benefit programs (group health, workers' compensation, pharmacy, shipping, and office supply discounts), industry recognition through awards and tournaments, workforce development initiatives, and member publications and conferences. Membership is sold to Kentucky manufacturers of all sizes, who receive access to advocacy, councils, events, and a portfolio of discounted benefit programs.

Product overview

The Kentucky Association of Manufacturers (KAM) is a trade association offering a portfolio of member services and programs rather than a unified technology product. The organization provides advocacy and policy initiatives, workforce development programs, industry awards (Manufacturer of the Year, Employee of the Year, Executive Leadership Awards), the annual Coolest Thing Made in Kentucky Tournament, the Kentucky Industry Conference, the Kentucky Legislature Blue Book publication, and the Wage and Workforce Study report. Member benefits include group health insurance through Anthem, workers' compensation programs via AGC/SIF, pharmacy benefit management through AffirmedRx, and discount programs for UPS shipping and Office Depot supplies. These services are member benefit programs and do not constitute product integrations in the technical sense.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Member Benefit Programs Portfolio of discount and insurance programs offered exclusively to KAM member companies, including group health insurance, workers' compensation, pharmacy benefit management, vision/dental/life/disability coverage, UPS shipping discounts, and Office Depot supply savings. Intended for Kentucky manufacturers of all sizes seeking to lower employee benefits and operating costs.
• Kentucky Legislature Blue Book Annual publication sold to KAM members and the public with contact information, committee assignments, and photos of Kentucky state legislators and key staff. Available for order with bulk discounts; one copy included as a KAM member benefit.
• Wage and Workforce Study Annual research report on Kentucky manufacturing employment, providing wage data, workforce trends, and regional reports (for workforce areas with at least 35 participating companies). Sold to manufacturers and other interested parties.
• Kentucky Industry Conference (KYIC) Annual three-day conference for Kentucky manufacturing leaders featuring keynote speakers, breakout sessions, networking, and an awards ceremony. Co-hosted with Metals Innovation Initiative (MI2) and KY-MEP.
• Manufacturing Awards Program (Manufacturer of the Year, Employee of the Year, Executive Leadership Award) Annual award program recognizing Kentucky manufacturers and employees for excellence across Small, Mid-Size, and Large Manufacturer of the Year categories, Manufacturing Employee of the Year, and Manufacturing Executive Leadership Award. Recognition is presented at the Kentucky Industry Conference.
• Coolest Thing Made in Kentucky Tournament Annual public online voting, bracket-style tournament allowing Kentuckians to vote for their favorite products manufactured in the state, showcasing manufacturing innovation. Presented by Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance.
• KAM Industry Membership Annual membership for Kentucky manufacturing companies, providing access to state and federal policy advocacy, member benefit programs, industry councils, awards eligibility, conferences, the Kentucky Legislature Blue Book, and member-only resources.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 260,000 manufacturing employees represented by KAM member companies
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Associated General Contractors (AGC) of KentuckycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 2 December 2024KAM and AGC of Kentucky announced a joint membership alliance allowing members of each organization to join the other under a nominal fee structure. KAM members gain access to AGC's workers' compensation insurance program through the Kentucky AGC Self Insurers' Fund (AGC/SIF). The partnership focuses on workforce development, legislative advocacy, and networking.
• AffirmedRxcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 July 2023KAM partnered with AffirmedRx, a Kentucky-based pharmacy benefit management (PBM) company, to provide transparent, cost-effective pharmacy benefits to KAM member employers. This partnership helps manufacturers reduce prescription drug costs for employees through a patient-centric PBM model with transparent pricing.
• Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKCTCS partners with KAM to present the Manufacturing Employee of the Year Award and supports workforce development initiatives. KAM partners with KCTCS on regional manufacturing briefings across Kentucky and hosts the annual Kentucky Industry Conference awards dinner.
• Brown-Forman CorporationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrown-Forman Corporation presents KAM's Manufacturer of the Year Awards. As a partner, they help recognize outstanding Kentucky manufacturers at the annual awards dinner during the Kentucky Industry Conference.
• Metals Innovation Initiative (MI2)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKAM co-hosts the annual Kentucky Industry Conference (KYIC) with MI2 and the Kentucky Manufacturing Extension Partnership (KY-MEP). MI2 is a Kentucky-focused nonprofit that brings together metals industry executives for innovation in talent, sustainability, branding, and technology.
• Kentucky Manufacturing Extension Partnership (KY-MEP)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKY-MEP co-hosts the annual Kentucky Industry Conference with KAM and MI2, and hosts workshops on growth management. KY-MEP is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Manufacturing Extension Partnership network.
• Kentucky Farm Bureau InsurancemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerKentucky Farm Bureau Insurance is the presenting sponsor of the KAM Coolest Thing Made in Kentucky Tournament for four consecutive years (2023-2026). The tournament is a public online voting bracket competition showcasing Kentucky-made products.
• Toyota Motor Manufacturing KentuckycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerToyota Kentucky is a major KAM member and represented on the board. President Kerry Creech serves as KAM Chairman. Toyota Kentucky is the largest automotive assembly facility in the world, employing nearly 9,500 Kentuckians.
• Kentucky Cabinet for Economic DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKAM works with the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development on workforce development initiatives, aerospace career hub concepts, and supporting manufacturing growth in the Commonwealth.
• National Association of Manufacturers (NAM)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKAM is affiliated with NAM and collaborates on national policy advocacy. KAM joined with NAM and other organizations to defend business organizations' right to participate in federal court litigation.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Illinois Manufacturers' Association: State-level manufacturing trade association serving Illinois' large and diverse manufacturing sector. Operates as a peer advocacy and member services organization with comparable structure, programs, and value proposition to KAM.
• Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce: Wisconsin's combined state manufacturing and commerce association, providing advocacy, member benefits, and workforce programs. Direct peer to KAM in mission, with a comparable Midwest manufacturing economy and similar combined-trade-association model.
• Tennessee Manufacturers Association: Tennessee's statewide manufacturing trade association providing advocacy, networking, and member benefit programs. Closest geographic and structural peer to KAM, serving a neighboring state with significant automotive and aerospace manufacturing.
• Indiana Manufacturers Association: State manufacturing trade association representing Indiana's industrial base. Operates with the same model as KAM (membership dues, advocacy, member benefits, workforce development) in an adjacent Midwest state with overlapping automotive and metals manufacturing.
• Pennsylvania Manufacturers' Association: State manufacturing trade association representing Pennsylvania manufacturers. Operates with the same advocacy, workforce, and member-benefit model as KAM in a large, manufacturing-heavy Northeastern state.
• Ohio Manufacturers' Association: State-level manufacturing trade association serving Ohio manufacturers, providing advocacy, workforce development, and member services. Structurally identical to KAM (membership-based state association) and serves a neighboring state with a comparably large manufacturing base.
• Michigan Manufacturers Association: Michigan's state manufacturing trade association, focused on the automotive-heavy industrial base. Direct peer to KAM in mission and operating model, with a particular overlap in automotive advocacy given Kentucky's growing EV and battery sector.

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Chamber of Commerce: National federation representing businesses across all sectors, including manufacturing. KAM participates alongside the U.S. Chamber in federal advocacy and litigation, and competes for member mindshare in the broader business association category, though the U.S. Chamber is far broader in scope.
• National Association of Manufacturers (NAM): National-level manufacturing trade association based in Washington, D.C. KAM is explicitly affiliated with NAM for federal advocacy and has co-filed amicus briefs alongside NAM, making NAM KAM's national-level counterpart and most direct institutional peer.

Emerging players

• Associated General Contractors of Kentucky (AGC of Kentucky): Kentucky construction industry trade association and recent joint-membership partner of KAM. Comparable operating model (state association, dues-funded, advocacy, member benefits) but serves the construction sector rather than manufacturing, with selective overlap in workforce development and workers' compensation programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KYManufacturing
• Facebookfacebook.com/KYManufacturing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kymanufacturing
• Instagraminstagram.com/kymanufacturing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Kentucky Association of Manufacturers