Kentucky Governor Proclaims October as Manufacturing Month in Kentucky

Industry continues to drive job gains, higher wages for Kentuckians

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 2, 2025) – Kentucky is a national leader in manufacturing, and today, Gov. Andy Beshear proclaimed October as Manufacturing Month, recognizing the industry as an essential driver of the commonwealth’s record economic growth and job creation.

“Manufacturing is a huge reason our economy is thriving, supporting thousands of businesses and providing jobs for hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians,” said Gov. Beshear. “Every day, Kentucky manufacturers play crucial roles in key industries including food and beverage; aerospace; automotive and electric vehicles; metals; agritech; health care; and many others. From company leaders to our talented workforce, we’re showing the world there’s no better place than Kentucky for manufacturing.”

Kentucky is home to more than 6,000 manufacturing facilities that employ over 260,000 residents. The industry has been a driver of the best five years on record for private-sector growth and has spurred rising wages for families throughout the commonwealth. Manufacturers also contribute $47.5 billion annually to the state’s gross domestic product.

This year alone, Gov. Beshear has announced several significant investments and job-creation projects by existing Kentucky manufacturers.

In June, the Governor announced GE Appliances will create 800 jobs with a $490 million investment at its global headquarters at Appliance Park in Louisville. The project brings laundry machine production to Kentucky as the company reshores production from China.

In August, he joined Ford Motor Co. to announce a $1.9 billion investment at the Louisville Assembly Plant to produce an all-new electric vehicle and secure 2,200 full-time jobs at the facility.

In August, Apple and Corning announced plans for a $2.5 billion commitment in Corning’s Mercer County facility to produce 100% of the cover glass used in iPhones and Apple Watches. Leadership at Apple indicated the project will help increase Corning’s manufacturing and engineering workforce by 50% in Kentucky.

Since the start of the administration, Gov. Beshear has announced more than 845 private-sector new-location and expansion announcements from manufacturers that are creating more than 42,000 full-time jobs for Kentuckians with over $33.3 billion in new investment.

In 2024, manufacturing was responsible for $5.36 billion in new investment and nearly 7,000 full-time jobs for Kentuckians.

Kentucky’s manufacturing momentum has continued into 2025, with 49 manufacturing-related projects announced year-to-date that are contributing to over $4.4 billion in new investment and over 3,200 full-time jobs. That success is supported by a growing number of well-paying job opportunities for Kentuckians, with the average incentivized hourly wage surpassing $26 in three consecutive years for the first time.

“All across Kentucky and the United States, manufacturers and their teams are making life better for their customers, their loved ones and their communities, as they protect today’s economy and help create the jobs of tomorrow,” said Frank Jemley, president and CEO of the Kentucky Association of Manufacturers. “That’s something worth appreciating every day and celebrating throughout October during Manufacturing Month.”

Manufacturers looking to locate a new facility or expand existing operations find that the commonwealth provides all the needed resources to accommodate long-term growth. Kentucky’s ideal central geographic location places the state within a day’s drive of two-thirds of the U.S. population and income. Combined with state-of-the-art infrastructure, Kentucky’s location allows manufacturers to quickly distribute products to key U.S. markets, while global air cargo hubs in Louisville and Northern Kentucky by UPS, DHL and Amazon provide fast and reliable distribution overnight anywhere in the world. Low business costs, including a rate among the lowest industrial electric costs in the country, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, ensure companies can continue to grow and create great jobs for Kentuckians.

The celebration of Manufacturing Month in Kentucky builds on the best five-year period for economic growth in state history.

Since the beginning of his administration, Gov. Beshear has announced more than 1,200 private-sector new-location and expansion projects totaling over $43 billion in announced investments, creating more than 63,200 jobs. This is the highest investment figure secured during the tenure of any governor in the commonwealth’s history and $18 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.

Gov. Beshear has announced some of the largest economic development projects in state history, which have solidified Kentucky as the electric vehicle battery production capital of the United States: Ford Motor Co. and SK On’s transformative $5.8 billion, 5,000-job BlueOval SK Battery Park in Hardin County; AESC’s $2 billion, 2,000-job gigafactory project in Warren County; Toyota’s $1.3 billion investment in Scott County; Ford Motor Co.’s $2 billion, 2,200-job commitment in Louisville; and Shelbyville Battery Manufacturing’s $712 million investment, creating 1,572 jobs in Shelby County, among others.

The Governor’s administration also secured the largest General Fund budget surplus and Rainy Day Fund. In 2023, Kentucky recorded over 2 million jobs filled for the first time ever and has stayed above that number ever since.

Kentucky also secured rating increases from major credit rating agencies Fitch Ratings, S&P Global Ratings and Moody’s Investors Service.

Earlier this year, Site Selection magazine ranked Kentucky in the top five nationally and second in the South Central region for economic development projects per capita in its 2024 Governor’s Cup rankings. Site Selection also placed Kentucky second in the South Central region and No. 6 nationally in its 2025 Prosperity Cup ranking, which recognizes state-level economic development agencies for their success in landing capital investment projects.

Gov. Beshear also announced a new initiative, called New Kentucky Home, to increase economic investment, attain and attract talent, and increase tourism across the state.