By Lantern staff
Kentucky Lantern
September 10, 2026
The Ford Motor Co. will build a new $1 billion paint shop at the Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville, breaking ground by the end of the year, Gov. Andy Beshear announced Thursday.
“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,” Beshear said in a statement. “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.”
The announcement builds on Ford’s recent investments across the commonwealth, including approximately $2 billion for the transformation of the Louisville Assembly Plant into the future home of Ford’s new Universal EV Platform.
Ford had also invested in an EV plant with a South Korean company in Glendale, a partnership that dissolved after lower demand for EV production. Ford will now manufacture battery energy storage systems on the site.
Ford started making cars in Louisville in 1913.
“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,” said Jim Farley, Ford President and CEO. “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.”
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