Lexington, KY – With more than 657,000 vehicles produced so far in 2013, Kentucky trails only Ohio and Michigan as a top automotive production state in the nation. On a per capita basis, however, Kentucky ranks first in light vehicle production so far in 2013.
A release from Gov. Steve Beshear’s Office states Kentucky is on pace to “crush last year’s production tally of more than one million vehicles.”
With 657,587 light vehicles produced by mid-year, Kentucky is outperforming last year’s total of 478,110 vehicles by more than 37 percent.
The Commonwealth is on pace to produce about 290,000 more vehicles than last year’s total of 1,025,730, which was the highest output in Kentucky in five years.
The release states that Kentucky’s automotive industry boasts more than 450 motor vehicle-related facilities across the state, including four major assembly plants: Ford’s Louisville Assembly Plant and Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville, Toyota’s Georgetown operation, which is the company’s largest production plant outside of Japan, and the General Motors Bowling Green Assembly Plant, which has been the exclusive home of the Corvette since 1981.
Kentucky’s mid-year 2013 ranking of third in the nation sustains its recent history of gains in production and national ranking. The Commonwealth rated fourth overall in 2012 for auto production and fifth in 2011.
Auto Company Investments
With a recent $1.2 billion investment in its two Louisville plants, Ford has ramped up production in Kentucky, especially with the Ford Escape, which grew from a production of 40,943 in the middle of 2012 to more than 198,000 so far this year. Production numbers are also up for the Expedition, the F-Series Super Duty, and the Lincoln Navigator, which are all made in Kentucky.
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (TMMK) is investing more than $531 million to add new vehicle production and a new assembly line in Georgetown, where the company produces the Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Camry, Camry Hybrid and the Venza. Starting in 2015, the Georgetown plant will also produce the Lexus ES350.
General Motors’ investment of $131 million to retool the Bowling Green Corvette Plant will also mean increased production. The enhancements to the plant have resulted in a slowdown, with 3,155 vehicles this year compared to 7,784 this time last year, but the numbers should increase when production of 2014 C7 Corvette Stingray goes into high gear.
GM has also announced it will move its Performance Build Center, which specializes in hand-built, high performance engines for the Corvette and Camaro, from Michigan to Bowling Green. The move is set for the first quarter of 2014 and is backed by a $3.5 million investment.