GE Appliance has announced a $62 million investment to expand production at its 750-acre manufacturing complex in Louisville, Ky., to meet the increasing demand for the company's washers, dryers and dishwashers.
They will create 260 new jobs as each of the three major manufacturing plants at Appliance Park ramp up assembly lines to produce more not only dishwashers but dryers and refrigerators as well.
As a result of the pandemic, GE Appliance sys it is discovering that consumers are running their dishwashers more frequently. And the use of sanitization or high wash temperature cycles are up more than 50%; washer and dryer use is up 25%, and the sanitization cycle on washers is up 85%.
“The investments and new jobs we are announcing today are another demonstration of our commitment to continue enhancing our manufacturing footprint in the United States to serve more customers and owners faster and better,” said Kevin Nolan, CEO of GE Appliances.
The expansion is expected to be complete by the first quarter of 2021.
The investment will include new tooling and equipment for the door and case areas, additional automation and upgrading the plant to use a more environmentally friendly refrigerant that meets the latest environmental standards.
A $43 million investment will be used to manufacture GE, GE Profile and Café four-door models in the Park’s refrigeration plant. The four-door refrigerator — consisting of a traditional French door fresh food area, a freezer and a convertible section that can be used as either a freezer or refrigerator — is the fastest-growing design in high-end refrigeration.
A $19 million investment for new equipment and factory modernization will be made in the Park’s dishwasher manufacturing plant, creating added volume and capacity expansion to support growing demand for dishwashers
Since 2017, GE Appliances has invested $360 million in Appliance Park and has expanded its workforce through the creation of more than 660 new jobs. There are more than 6,500 employees who work for the company in the Louisville area.