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Construction progress at the BlueOval SK Battery Park is on schedule, bringing Ford closer to its target of producing an annual operating rate of 2 million electric vehicles worldwide by the end of 2026
Glendale, KY. – Ford and SK On broke ground on the BlueOval SK Battery Park, where their joint venture – BlueOval SK – has invested $5.8 billion to produce advanced batteries for future Ford and Lincoln electric vehicles, set to begin production by 2025, creating 5,000 new jobs in Kentucky.
Construction is scheduled on two large battery manufacturing facilities capable of collectively producing more than 80 gigawatt hours annually.
“The BlueOval SK Battery Park will be the epicenter of the electrification of the North American auto market,” said Jee Dong-seob, SK On president and CEO. “We look forward to SK On and Ford’s leadership in the global electric vehicle market being solidified through BlueOval SK.”
Significant construction progress at the BlueOval SK Battery Park brings Ford closer to its target of producing an annual operating rate of 2 million electric vehicles worldwide by the end of 2026.
“Ford has deep roots in Kentucky, and BlueOval SK will help Ford lead the EV revolution, bringing thousands of new, high-tech jobs to the Bluegrass State,” said Lisa Drake, vice president, Ford EV Industrialization, “Ford is building on more than a century of investment in Kentucky and its incredible workforce.”
BlueOval SK Battery Park will train 5,000 new workers at the new Elizabethtown Community and Technical College (ECTC) BlueOval SK Training Center, located on the 1,500-acre BlueOval SK Battery Park site.
“At BlueOval SK Battery Park, we are building the future – innovative batteries for future Ford and Lincoln electric vehicles and a bright future for Kentucky workers,” said David Hahm, BlueOval SK CEO. “To produce these batteries, we need a key workforce trained in the latest battery and advanced manufacturing technology.”
The ECTC BlueOval SK Training Center is the only co-branded learning facility within the Kentucky Community College System and represents a $25 million investment by the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
“The partnership between Kentucky and Ford dates back more than a century, to the beginning of the auto industry,” said Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. “That relationship grows even stronger today as we break ground on Ford and SK On’s BlueOval SK Battery Park in Hardin County. As both the largest economic development project in our state’s history and part of Ford’s largest investment ever, this project solidifies Kentucky’s status as the electric vehicle battery production capital of the United States.”
The curriculum within the 42,000-square-foot training facility will support battery knowledge, duties and skills. BlueOval SK will train employees in SK On’s proprietary technical, quality and manufacturing processes at the ECTC BlueOval SK Training Center’s virtual reality labs, industrial maintenance laboratory, work simulation lab and rooms- study ergonomics techniques.
The Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) will begin construction of the ECTC BlueOval SK Training Center in 2023 and is scheduled for completion in 2024.
Construction at BlueOval SK Battery Park Remains on Schedule
Significant progress has been made on the 2.3-square-mile battery manufacturing campus. So far, crews have:
- 4.3 million cubic yards of earth were moved, enough to fill 200 American football stadiums
- 283,000 tons of stone were laid, equivalent to the weight of about 1,350 locomotives
- 66,000 cubic yards of concrete poured – enough to fill 356 backyard swimming pools
- 3,300 tons of rebar ties were installed to strengthen the concrete, equivalent to the weight of more than 470 elephants
- Installed 1,300 deep foundations, equivalent to the height of nearly 60 Empire State Buildings stacked end to end
- 7,900 tons of structural steel were built, equivalent to the weight of nearly 400 fire trucks
Ongoing Community Commitment
Through the campus construction process, Ford and its construction partners continue to engage with Kentucky communities through donations, sponsorships and volunteer efforts, building on Ford’s 109-year commitment to state.
Ford Motor Company donated nearly $40,000 and manpower from construction partners, Barton Malow Company and Gray Construction, to the city of Glendale, home of the BlueOval SK Battery Park. The team refreshed many of the city’s parks and sidewalks, some of which hadn’t been replaced in over 100 years.
Ford’s construction partners have also installed handicap-accessible ramps throughout Glendale and supported various local projects including the United Way of Central Kentucky, Feeding America and Habitat for Humanity. throughout Central Kentucky. Ford donated $42,000 to the Glendale Volunteer Fire Department, increasing the department’s budget by more than 50 percent. Ford also sponsored the Glendale Crossing Festival this year.
“Ford has been a pillar of the Kentucky community for more than a century and now Glendale will write the next chapter,” said Lisa Slaven, Director of Hardin County Schools Transition Readiness. “As an educator and member of this community, I view the construction of the BlueOval SK Battery Park as synonymous with creating new learning opportunities and skill sets for tomorrow’s careers for our students, our community and Kentucky.”
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