Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Gov. Beshear Announces Kentucky Ranks Third in the Nation for Mid-Year Automotive Production


FRANKFORT, Ky. (Aug. 5, 2013) – Consider this:  if every car and truck produced in the Commonwealth this year represented a person, those newly-produced vehicles would rival the population of Jefferson County.

It’s no surprise, then, that this powerful growth has added to Kentucky’s reputation as an automotive powerhouse. Today, Gov. Steve Beshear announced the Commonwealth ranks third in the nation for mid-year auto production numbers – and is on pace to crush last year’s production tally of more than one million vehicles.

With more than 657,000 vehicles produced so far in 2013, Kentucky trails only Ohio and Michigan as a top vehicle producing state. On a per capita basis, Kentucky ranks first in light vehicle production in 2013.  

“This is good news for Kentucky, not just for the folks in our automotive industry, but for all of us. More production means more jobs, more investment and ultimately a stronger economy here in the Commonwealth,” said Gov. Beshear. “We take great pride in the quality of work we do here in Kentucky, and our workforce continues to impress. No matter the product, Kentuckians manufacture them to the best standards in the world.”

With 657,587 light vehicles produced by mid-year, Kentucky is outperforming last year’s total at this time (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.

Kentucky’s automotive industry today 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 iconic 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.