GE Appliances is investing nearly half a billion dollars in its manufacturing complex in Kentucky, creating 800 new jobs and shifting production of clothes washers from China. The company says the move aligns with its goal to make appliances as close as possible to customers and consumers through its “zero-distance” business strategy.
The $490 million project will relocate production of combo washer/dryer and a lineup of front load washers from China to Appliance Park in Louisville, Kentucky. Once complete, the facility will produce more than 15 models of front load washers and become GE Appliances’ most advanced manufacturing plant for clothes washing production.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has welcomed the investment, saying it solidifies his state as the global headquarters of GE Appliances. The company’s CEO, Kevin Nolan, stated that bringing laundry production to the US is fundamental to its business strategy and will put the company at the top of U.S. manufacturers of washing machines.
The investment comes amid President Donald Trump’s efforts to lure factories back to the US by imposing tariffs on foreign goods. GE Appliances has committed to using American steel in its US manufacturing, which it says nearly all of.
Production is expected to be completed by 2027, and the facility will feature advanced automation and robotics technologies, including automated guided vehicles and autonomous mobile robots. This move marks another step towards GE Appliances’ goal to base production in the US, with the company already investing billions of dollars in U.S. manufacturing in recent years.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/ge-appliances-moves-washing-machine-production-china-kentucky-123235653