GBS has announced the company has finalized the purchased the historic Wadsworth Electric Manufacturing building at 20 West 11th Street in Covington to allow for potential expansion and a new phase of growth.
The approximately 140,000 square foot facility provides the Northern Kentucky technology integrator the opportunity to expand its operations, create new jobs, and strengthen its ability to serve businesses across Greater Cincinnati and the surrounding region. This investment reflects GBS’s commitment to creating high-paying, highly technical jobs in Northern Kentucky, supporting long-term workforce growth and strengthening the region’s position as a hub for technology and innovation.
Founded in 1995 in the garage of GBS Founder and President Gaby Batshoun, the company opened its first office in Covington in 1996 before relocating to Newport in 2001. Nearly three decades later, this expansion represents a return to the city where GBS first began establishing its presence as a growing technology business.
“This acquisition represents an exciting next chapter for GBS,” said Gaby Batshoun, Founder and President of GBS. “When the company started nearly 30 years ago, it was just an idea in my garage and a commitment to helping businesses solve technology challenges in smarter ways. Since then we’ve grown into something much bigger, but that same mindset still drives us. Expanding in Covington feels like coming full circle while also creating the space we need for the future.”
The potential expansion will bring the GBS team, 57 jobs, to Covington, with average wages of approximately $70,600 annually, or $88,300 including benefits, and continued growth projected in the years that follow. This investment will represent a significant economic impact for Covington, allowing GBS to project approximately $45.6 million in new payroll over the next 10 years, generating an estimated $1.1 million in payroll tax. The project also will include an estimated $6.8 million capital investment as GBS plans to establish its corporate headquarters in Covington. The City of Covington is offering GBS a job development incentive.
“GBS’s decision to return to its roots in Covington speaks volumes about the momentum we’re building as a hub for innovation and technology,” Mayor Ron Washington said. “We’re proud to welcome GBS back home and to see them invest in a building that has long been part of Covington’s rich business history. This move reflects both the strength of our local economy and our commitment to creating an environment where forward-thinking companies can grow and thrive.”
“Our team has worked with GBS over several years to locate potential areas that would accommodate the company’s growth,” said BE NKY Growth Partnership CEO Lee Crume. “We are glad that GBS is on a path to retain and continue its growth in Northern Kentucky.”
The building, most recently home to Donna Salyers Fabulous Furs, offers significantly more space for GBS to grow its team and expand the capabilities that support its integrated technology services, including training facilities, testing labs, a technology showroom, and expanded warehousing and logistics for staging and configuring systems before installation. The expanded space will also allow GBS to grow its internship and co-op programs in partnership with local institutions including Northern Kentucky University and Gateway Community & Technical College, helping develop the next generation of technology professionals in the region.
GBS currently employs approximately 55 people, with plans to grow its workforce in the coming years as demand for integrated technology solutions continues to increase. As the company grows, GBS expects to continue adding skilled roles across information technology and integration as well as emerging technology disciplines.
The new building will also provide additional capacity beyond GBS’s immediate needs. As the company grows, portions of the building can be made available to other businesses through leasing opportunities, allowing the property to remain active while preserving room for GBS’s long-term expansion.
“This facility gives us the room to build the kind of environment our team and our clients need,” said Kevin Brummer, Director of Strategy at GBS. “We plan to include spaces for collaboration, training, demonstrations, and testing technologies before they go into the field. That ultimately helps us deliver better results for our clients. It also gives us the ability to expand our focus on innovation—creating space to explore, test, and train on emerging and cutting-edge technologies before they are deployed in real-world environments.”
Originally built for Wadsworth Electric Manufacturing, the property has long been part of Covington’s business history. In more recent years it served as the headquarters for Donna Salyers Fabulous Furs, whose founder was an early client of GBS. The building was purchased directly from the Salyers family.
“Donna and her team built a special business here, and we’re honored to continue the legacy of innovative companies operating in this building,” Batshoun said.
BE NKY Growth Partnership