Ford to invest $1B in Kentucky truck plant

Ford announced Thursday that it’s planning to expand its manufacturing presence in Kentucky with a $1 billion investment in a new state-of-the-art paint shop at its Kentucky Truck Plant.

The investment will allow for the construction of a new paint shop, which will replace its existing paint shop and further the modernization of the Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville.

The upgraded technology in the paint shop will provide cleaner and more efficient paint quality, boosting efficiency and environmental sustainability in production processes, Ford said.

Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant is the automaker’s largest and highest revenue manufacturing plant, with a vehicle rolling off the assembly line every 45 seconds, the company noted. It produces vehicles including the F-Series Super Duty pickups, the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs.

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“For more than a century, Ford and Kentucky have grown together, and we’re investing to ensure that relationship remains strong for generations to come,” Ford CEO Jim Farley said.

“These investments demonstrate our confidence in Kentucky’s workforce, our commitment to American manufacturing and our belief that the future of mobility and energy will be right here in the United States.”

Ford said in its announcement that groundbreaking on the project is expected by late this year. The company is also planning to host a Kentucky Truck Plant Family Open House on Sept. 13 for employees and their families to spotlight the work that goes on at the facility.

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Ford’s nearby Louisville Assembly Plant is also in the midst of a significant update, with Ford installing its new Universal EV Production System at the facility. That investment will support production of the recently unveiled Ford Fathom, a midsize electric pickup truck that’s planned to launch in 2027, and transform the facility into one of Ford’s most advanced and flexible manufacturing plants.

Ford’s presence in Kentucky dates back to 1913, when the first Model T rolled off the assembly line in Louisville. The Bluegrass State is also home to over 6,000 Ford retirees.

The automaker previously announced a $2 billion investment in Ford Energy, which will enable the conversion of a former battery manufacturing site in Glendale, Kentucky, into a large-scale producer of battery energy storage systems.

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The company noted a 2020 study by the Boston Consulting Group found that Ford contributes $11.7 billion annually to Kentucky’s economic output, with nearly 120,000 people in the state employed by Ford, its suppliers and dealers.

A 2023 report by University of Louisville professor Thomas Lambert found that Ford’s total economic impact in Kentucky tops $33 billion across its network of vendors and suppliers.