Ford Adds $1 Billion Investment at Kentucky Truck Plant

Ford Motor plans to invest $1 billion in one of its largest U.S. factories, which builds some of the automaker’s best-selling trucks and SUVs.

Ford announced Sept. 10 that it will build a “state-of-the-art” paint shop at the Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville, replacing the existing facility and further modernizing the factory.

The company expects to break ground later this year.

Kentucky Truck Plant is Ford’s largest and highest-revenue manufacturing plant in the United States. A vehicle rolls off its assembly line about every 45 seconds.

The factory builds F-Series Super Duty pickups, including the F-250 through F-550, as well as the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs.

Ford said upgraded technology at the new facility will improve paint quality and efficiency while reducing its environmental impact.

“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 built right here in the United States,” Ford CEO Jim Farley said.

$5 Billion in Kentucky Investments

The new paint shop adds to roughly $4 billion in other investments Ford has recently announced in Kentucky, bringing the total to about $5 billion.

Ford is spending approximately $2 billion to upgrade its Louisville Assembly Plant. The plant is expected to begin building the Ford Fathom, a midsize electric pickup, in 2027.

The automaker is investing another roughly $2 billion at Ford Energy Systems in Glendale, Kentucky.

The former battery manufacturing site is being converted to produce battery energy-storage systems for Ford Energy, the company’s new energy-storage business. Production is scheduled to begin in late 2027, with annual capacity of at least 20 gigawatt-hours.

Ford employs more than 11,500 people in Kentucky. Its history in the state dates back to 1913, when the first Model T rolled off a Louisville production line.

Ford Faces Scrutiny Over China Ties

The Kentucky announcement followed Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s criticism of Ford for its business relationships with Chinese companies. Duffy urged the automaker to reduce its reliance on Chinese technology and manufacturing.

In a Sept. 8 letter to Farley, Duffy said he had “profound concern” about Ford’s licensing agreement with Chinese battery maker CATL, its partnership with Chinese automaker Geely in Europe, and its continued production of the Lincoln Nautilus in China.

Duffy also criticized Ford’s timeline for shifting Lincoln production for U.S. customers away from China. Ford has pledged to bring back that production in 2030, but Duffy said it should happen sooner.

Ford disputed Duffy’s characterization, calling it a “wrongheaded attempt to capture headlines.”

In a lengthy response, the company said its CATL arrangement is not a joint venture. Ford said it owns and operates the Michigan battery plant and employs the workers there.

Ford also highlighted its broader U.S. manufacturing footprint, saying it assembles more vehicles domestically and employs more hourly American workers than any other automaker.

“Had Secretary Duffy reached out before issuing his letter to the press, we would have been happy to share more details about Ford’s U.S. commitment,” the company said.