Ford is investing $1bn to build a new state-of-the-art paint shop at its Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville, strengthening one of the automaker’s largest US manufacturing operations.
Construction of the new facility is expected to begin by the end of 2026. It will replace the plant’s existing paint shop with upgraded technology designed to improve efficiency, paint quality and environmental performance.
Kentucky Truck Plant is Ford’s largest US manufacturing facility by revenue, with a vehicle currently rolling off its production line approximately every 45 seconds. The plant produces the F-Series Super Duty pickups, Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs.
The investment is part of a wider expansion of Ford’s manufacturing footprint across Kentucky.
Expanding Ford’s Kentucky manufacturing footprint
Ford has recently committed around $2bn to transform its Louisville Assembly Plant into a manufacturing centre for its new Universal Electric Vehicle Platform.
The facility is expected to produce the Ford Fathom midsize electric pickup from 2027, with the project expected to create or secure around 2,200 jobs.
Ford is also investing approximately $2bn at its Ford Energy Systems facility in Glendale, Kentucky. The site is being converted into a large-scale producer of battery energy storage systems, with production expected to begin in late 2027.
The facility is expected to create at least 2,100 jobs and have annual production capacity of at least 20 gigawatt-hours.
Together, the projects represent billions of dollars of investment across vehicle and energy manufacturing in Kentucky.
Supporting US manufacturing
Ford employs more than 11,500 people across Kentucky, while its wider manufacturing presence supports a much larger network of suppliers, dealers and other businesses.
According to a 2023 University of Louisville report, Ford’s total economic impact in Kentucky exceeds $33bn, including its network of vendors and suppliers.
The new paint shop will further modernise Kentucky Truck Plant and support the long-term production of Ford’s full-size trucks and SUVs.
The investment also adds to Ford’s wider push to expand and modernise US manufacturing, with the company positioning its Kentucky operations as a key part of its future vehicle and energy production network.
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