HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. — A tobacco manufacturer is expanding its Hopkinsville operations with a $250 million investment expected to create more than 200 new Kentucky jobs.

Gov. Andy Beshear joined U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. officials and local leaders Tuesday to break ground on the new facility in Christian County.

The project will expand the company’s existing presence in Hopkinsville and include new manufacturing machinery and equipment.

U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co., which makes brands including Copenhagen and Skoal, currently employs 165 Kentuckians. The company said the expansion will approximately double its Kentucky workforce once the new facility is operational.

The company’s Hopkinsville operations date to 1916.

The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority preliminarily approved an incentive agreement with the company earlier this year through the Kentucky Business Investment program.

The performance-based agreement provides potential tax incentives based on the company meeting investment and job-creation targets.

Construction of the new facility is part of the company’s continued investment in its Hopkinsville campus.