GE Appliances (GEA), a Haier company, announced a 62 million dollar investment to expand production at its massive, 750-acre manufacturing complex in Louisville and the creation of 260 new jobs as each of the three major manufacturing plants at Appliance Park ramp up assembly lines to produce more washers, dryers, dishwashers and refrigerators.
The company explained that a 43 million dollar 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. 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. This program will increase capacity in the plant, positioning the company to add new jobs and introduce additional models, providing the facility a platform for long-term growth in the industry.
A 19 million dollars investment is also destined to new equipment and factory modernization in the Park’s dishwasher manufacturing plant, creating added volume and capacity expansion to support growing demand for dishwashers.
According to the company, as a result of the pandemic, consumers are staying at home more than before and using their appliances more often. Desire for sanitization cycles on washers and dishwashers is helping drive increased demand for GE Appliances’ leading topload platform and dishwasher models. According to new research, dishwashers are being run more frequently during the pandemic, and use of sanitization or high wash temperature cycles are up more than 50 percent; washer and dryer use is up 25 percent, and the sanitization cycle on washers is up 85 percent.
«The investments and new jobs we are announcing 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, president and chief executive officer for GE Appliances. – We are working very hard to build a competitive position that allows us to continue expanding our workforce and invest in winning products, paving the way to becoming the leading appliance company in the United States.»
