Ford is investing $2 billion to transform its Louisville assembly plant for production of the new Fathom electric truck in 2027. (Credit: Ford Motor Company) Ford announced Thursday that it plans 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 advance the modernization of the Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville. Improved technology in the paint shop will provide cleaner, more efficient paint quality, driving efficiency and environmental sustainability in production processes, Ford said. Ford is also undergoing a major overhaul of its nearby Louisville Assembly Plant ahead of production of Fathom electric trucks in 2027. (Ford Motor Co.) Ford’s truck plant in Kentucky is the automaker’s largest and highest-revenue manufacturing plant, with a vehicle rolling off the assembly line every 45 seconds, the company said. It produces vehicles including the F-Series Super Duty trucks, Ford Expedition SUVs and Lincoln Navigator. FORD’S U.S. MANUFACTURING EXPANSION WILL BRING ‘THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF JOBS,’ LUTNICK SAYS “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,” said Ford CEO Jim Farley. “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 here in the United States.” their announcement that construction on the project is expected to begin later this year. The company also plans to host a Kentucky Truck Plant Family Open House on Sept. 13 for employees and their families to highlight the work being done at the facility. FORD BOOSTS LINCOLN PRODUCTION IN U.S. AS IT ELIMINATES IMPORTS FROM CHINA Ford’s truck plant in Kentucky produces F-Series Super Duty, Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator trucks. (Ford Motor Co.) Ford’s nearby Louisville Assembly Plant is also in the midst of a major upgrade, with Ford installing its new universal electric vehicle production system at the facility. That investment will support production of the recently introduced Ford Fathom, a mid-size electric pickup truck scheduled 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 more than 6,000 Ford retirees. A worker at the Kentucky Ford truck plant in Louisville. (Ford Motor Co.) 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. FORD TO USE APPLE MAPS SOFTWARE IN AUTONOMOUS DRIVING TECHNOLOGY FOR NEW EV Ticker Security PLATFORM Last change % F FORD MOTOR CO. 13.97 +0.07 +0.50% The company scored a 2020 A study by 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 exceeds $33 billion across its network of dealers and suppliers.
