Building smart washers/dryers in Kentucky to create 430 jobs

Louisville, Ky., has scored another jobs win with today’s announcement that GE’s Consumer & Industrial business will make its new “smart” washer and dryers at its Appliance Park plant starting in 2012. Making the high-end machines will create 430 new manufacturing and engineering jobs. When combined with GE’s decision earlier this year to build a new hybrid water heater in Louisville, it brings the total number of new jobs announced in 2009 at the plant to 830.

Local heroes: The new appliances will be made at Appliance Park, seen above in this file photo, thanks to a partnership between GE — which is focusing on reinvigorating manufacturing in the U.S. — and the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development and the Metro Louisville government. The package of incentives that resulted is designed to increase employment and economic development in the region.

The smart-grid enabled GE Profile appliances — which can communicate with home energy management software and utility smart meters to reduce demand during peak usage times — will meet proposed new 2014 Energy Star standards. The washing machine would go into production in the third quarter of 2012 and the new dryer in the third quarter of 2013. Currently, 90 percent of GE’s front-load washers dryers are manufactured outside the U.S. In addition to new jobs, GE’s plans call for an investment of more than $80 million on the new programs announced today.

The GE hybrid water heater, which is GE’s first commercially available smart-grid enabled product, is currently made by a supplier and is available for sale. However it will go into production in mid-2011 in Louisville.

“We are making big investments in new products and in energy-efficient technologies that are creating American jobs,” said GE Consumer & Industrial President and CEO Jim Campbell. “We can’t make these products in the U.S. competitively without everyone coming to the table — unions, the Company, employees, local/state/federal officials. We are grateful to the state and the city for their continued support in bringing these new products and jobs to Appliance Park.”

Bright outlook: “This new washer and dryer line not only brings new jobs to Louisville, it brings green and energy-efficient appliances to our city,” said Jerry Abramson, the mayor of Louisville, which is pictured above, “The future of GE in Louisville, which once was in jeopardy, is now very bright.”

* Read the GE announcement
* Read more about recent hiring at Appliance Park

Learn more in these GE Reports stories:
* “Renewing American Leadership: Immelt at West Point”
* “American Renewal: Immelt addresses Detroit Econ Club”
* “GE’s new KY deal marks a great time to be in hot water”
* “HD Supply deal pumps new hybrid water heater rollout”
* “Getting smarter about the smart grid”
* “Introducing the zero energy home”
* Watch GE Reports’ videos about our smart grid research labs