GE Appliances To Invest $490 Million, Create 800 Full-Time Jobs at Global Corporate Headquarters in Louisville

Company has announced more than 2,000 new Kentucky jobs during Beshear administration

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced a major investment from one of the state’s most prominent employers as GE Appliances, a Haier company, will invest $490 million and create an additional 800 full-time jobs at its global corporate headquarters at Appliance Park in Jefferson County.

The expansion represents a collaborative effort with state and local leaders and is one of the largest private-sector economic development projects since the beginning of the administration.

This latest investment by GE Appliances brings laundry production to Louisville as they reshore production of the GE Profile Combo Washer/Dryer and the GE Profile UltraFresh Front Load Washer line from China.

“Today’s announcement brings more appliance manufacturing back to the United States and solidifies Kentucky and Louisville as the global headquarters of GE Appliances,” Gov. Beshear said. “GE Appliances is one of Kentucky’s most important companies and signature brands, and we are excited about this additional commitment.”

The project will move production of more than 15 models of front-load washers to Building 2 at Appliance Park. The building will be redesigned to showcase the latest in automation, robotics and material-handling technologies including Automated Guided Vehicles and Autonomous Mobile Robots. The new product lines are scheduled to begin production in 2027.

“We are bringing laundry production to our global headquarters in Louisville because manufacturing in the U.S. is fundamental to our ‘zero-distance’ business strategy to make appliances as close as possible to our customers and consumers,” said Kevin Nolan, president and CEO, GE Appliances. “This decision is our most recent product reshoring and aligns with the current economic and policy environment.”

“Manufacturing in Louisville puts production closer to our designers, engineers and consumers so that together we can create our most innovative laundry platforms,” added Lee Lagomarcino, vice president, Clothes Care, GE Appliances. “The team has already developed new solutions for American households and can’t wait to get started making them. The new full-size capacity products have features that save time and offer unparalleled convenience. We created the full-size washer/dryer combo laundry category, and we intend to maintain our leadership position with consumers.”

“I am thrilled GE Appliances will continue to build the world’s best appliances at its global headquarters in Louisville,” said Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg. “This half-billion-dollar investment is a huge deal that will create 800 good, local jobs and secure GE Appliances’ growth in Louisville for the next generation.”

Today’s announcement builds on GE Appliances’ tremendous growth during the Beshear administration as the company in 2021 announced a $450 million expansion creating more than 1,000 full-time jobs. That investment included the installation of two new dishwasher manufacturing lines, new top-load washer models and four-door refrigerator production. The investment positioned Appliance Park as the largest plant of its kind in the United States.

Since 2016, GE Appliances has invested more than $3.5 billion in its U.S. manufacturing and distribution operations. The company recently released its 2024 economic impact analysis, which reported that GE Appliances’ investments, supplier base, customers and payroll contributed $12.8 billion to Kentucky’s GDP last year. Additionally, GE Appliances spent $318 million with more than 480 Kentucky suppliers.

Louisville’s Appliance Park is GE Appliances’ largest manufacturing operation, with more than 6 million square feet for the production of washers, dryers, dishwashers and refrigerators.

GE Appliances began production at Appliance Park in 1953. The campus sits on 750 acres in southern Jefferson County, serves as the company’s global headquarters and includes marketing, sales and support functions. Appliance Park also houses the company’s technology and engineering center, industrial design, distribution center and warehouse operations. GE Appliances employs more than 8,000 people full-time at Appliance Park and a nearby call center.

GE Appliances’ investment and job creation build on the best five-year period for economic growth in state history.

Since the beginning of his administration, Gov. Beshear has announced nearly 1,200 private-sector new-location and expansion projects totaling roughly $36 billion in announced investments, creating close to 62,000 jobs. This is the highest investment figure secured during the tenure of any governor in the commonwealth’s history and nearly $15 billion more than the next highest total.

The robust job creation has been accompanied by rising wages across the commonwealth. Since 2022, the average incentivized hourly wage has topped $26 in three consecutive years for the first time