Ford invests $1 billion in new paint shop at Kentucky Truck Plant
Ford will spend $1 billion on a new paint shop at its Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville, replacing the existing one and adding to roughly $4 billion of recent investment in the state.
- $1 billion
- more than 11,500
- more than $33 billion
- every 45 seconds
What Happened
The planned paint shop will replace Kentucky Truck Plant's existing paint operation and further modernize one of Ford's most important manufacturing operations. Groundbreaking is expected by late this year. Ford presented the project as a reaffirmation of its long-term commitment to Kentucky, coming on top of other recent investments in the state. Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said the announcement shows the world that Louisville is an incredible place to grow a business and that the city is proud to be Ford's partner.
- Approximately $2 billion to transform Louisville Assembly Plant into the manufacturing center for Ford's new Universal Electric Vehicle Platform
- The Louisville Assembly project will support production of the Ford Fathom, a midsize electric pickup expected to launch in 2027, and is anticipated to create or secure approximately 2,200 jobs while making the plant one of Ford's most advanced and flexible EV manufacturing sites
- Approximately $2 billion at Ford Energy Systems in Glendale, converting the former battery manufacturing site into a large-scale producer of battery energy storage systems
- The Glendale project is expected to create at least 2,100 new jobs and support annual production capacity of at least 20 gigawatt-hours of energy storage, with production beginning in late 2027
“For more than a century, Ford and Kentucky have grown together, and we're investing to ensure that relationship remains strong for generations to come. 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.”
Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville is Ford's largest and highest-revenue U.S. manufacturing plant, where a vehicle rolls off the assembly line every 45 seconds. It builds vehicles including the F-Series Super Duty pickups and the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs, and Ford says upgraded technology in the new paint shop will deliver cleaner and more efficient paint quality along with improved efficiency and advanced environmental sustainability. In 2026, Ford was named the No. 1 mainstream brand in the J.D. Power U.S. Initial Quality Study, and the company says it is America's leading automaker by vehicles assembled in the United States, hourly autoworkers employed and vehicle exports. Beyond its plants, Ford and its employees support local organizations, educational programs, environmental efforts and community initiatives.
- More than 11,500 employees make Ford Kentucky's largest auto manufacturer
- Kentucky is home to over 6,000 Ford retirees
- Ford contributes $11.7 billion annually to Kentucky's GDP, according to a 2020 study by Boston Consulting Group
- Nearly 120,000 people in Kentucky are employed by Ford and its suppliers and dealers
- Ford's total economic impact in Kentucky exceeds $33 billion with vendors and suppliers, according to a 2023 report by University of Louisville Professor Thomas Lambert
- Professor Lambert says the jobs Ford provides create or support another three to four jobs in the local economy
The first Model T rolls off the production line in Louisville, the start of Ford's presence in Kentucky
Kentucky Truck Plant Family Open House, where employees and their families can see the people, products and innovations driving Ford forward
Groundbreaking is expected for the new $1 billion paint shop at Kentucky Truck Plant
The Ford Fathom, a midsize electric pickup, is expected to launch from Louisville Assembly Plant
Production of battery energy storage systems is scheduled to begin at Ford Energy Systems in Glendale
“From our past to our present and our future, Ford is a central part of Kentucky's story, which continues to show the world that American manufacturing remains strong. Today's announcement highlights Ford's longstanding commitment to our state and to our workforce, and I am grateful to Bill Ford, Jim Farley and the entire Ford team for this investment.”
Previously from Ford
Motorclaw previously reported that Ford planned to replace the paint operation at its Kentucky truck factory with a $1 billion facility. That earlier report also noted construction was expected to start before the end of 2026.
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Ford's official releases.
Why this matters
Ford's largest and highest-revenue U.S. plant is getting a modernization that matters to the more than 11,500 Ford employees in Kentucky and to the plant's long-term competitiveness. Ford, its suppliers and dealers are a major economic force in the state, supporting roughly 120,000 jobs there and, by the company's count, more than $33 billion in total economic impact.
Terms in This Story
- paint shop
- The section of a vehicle assembly plant where bodies are cleaned, primed, painted and sealed, a major step before a vehicle is finished.
- gigawatt-hour
- A unit of energy equal to one billion watt-hours, used to express how much energy a battery or storage system can hold or supply.
- battery energy storage system
- Large-scale battery installations that store electricity and release it when needed, such as for the power grid or industrial use.
- Universal Electric Vehicle Platform
- Ford's name for the shared electric-vehicle underpinnings and production system it is installing at Louisville Assembly Plant.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.