Area Development
As part of an $800 million investment planned at its Appliance Park manufacturing plant in Louisville, Kentucky, over the next two years, General Electric Corporation will add a second shift and 380 additional workers to increase production of its new model refrigerators.

The firm plans to add another shift to produce its popular new line of refrigerators featuring bottom freezer compartments. "We are adding additional production capacity to ensure we can meet the demand," said Paul Surowiec, refrigeration product general manager at GE Appliances.

"The growth of GE's manufacturing operation at Appliance Park and the ripple effect on our community continues to validate the city and state governments' decisions to encourage GE to choose Louisville when GE was deciding where to invest," said Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer. "We couldn't be more thrilled with their progress."

Incentives offered GE to persuade the firm to choose Louisville included $37 million in state and local incentive grants based on hiring quotas, along with a federal tax credits of $24.8 million.

Earlier this year GE began producing water heaters at Appliance Park and next year the manufacturer plans to equip and staff another manufacturing facility to produce front-load washing machines and matching dryers.