GE Appliances Plans $490M Kentucky Reshoring, Creates 800 Jobs

GE Appliances, owned by China-based Haier Group, announced a $490 million investment to reshore washer and dryer production from China to its global headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky, creating 800 new jobs. The move, planned prior but accelerated by President Donald Trump's tariffs on Chinese imports, aims to bring manufacturing closer to customers and make Louisville the company's most advanced clothes washer production facility. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear praised the investment, emphasizing its significance for Kentucky and Louisville as the global headquarters of GE Appliances. The expanded Louisville plant will utilize advanced automation, robotics, and material-handling technologies, with production expected to begin in 2027. GE Appliances' strategic focus is to base production in the U.S., relying on American steel for manufacturing and reducing dependence on contracted production in China. This investment also reflects broader trends of appliance manufacturers, like LG and Samsung, reshoring production in response to trade policies and economic factors.