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11-20-14

Kentucky Primed for Growth in Advanced & Automotive Manufacturing

As one of Kentucky’s leading electrical contracting and engineering firms, AES leadership keeps close watch on trends in the region’s economy. While much of the country is still experiencing the lingering aftereffects of the economic downturn, Kentucky has seen encouraging growth in advanced and automotive manufacturing.

We have been proud to participate in some of the recent projects which are building the commonwealth’s manufacturing capacity, literally. In fact, the outlook for manufacturing is so positive, October was declared Manufacturing Month across the commonwealth by Governor Steve Beshear.

In late October, the Kentucky Association of Manufacturers and the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce launched the first Kentucky Manufacturing Innovation Conference to promote advanced manufacturing in the state. The event, aimed at manufacturing executives, plant managers and engineers, was an opportunity to connect manufacturing leaders with innovation leaders in the field.

Contrary to our reputation as primarily an agricultural center, Kentucky boasts more than 4,000 manufacturers, which represent $27 billion in gross domestic product (GDP), as well as 220,000 jobs. Over the past five years, our state’s manufacturing GDP has grown more than 33 percent. And those numbers continue to grow steadily. More than 200 manufacturing companies announced expansions or new locations in Kentucky during 2013, with a projected impact of $2.2 billion in investments and almost 7,500 jobs.

Kentucky’s manufacturing power is also beginning to attract notice outside the commonwealth. Last year, Kentucky exported a state record $25.3 billion to about 200 countries. Kentucky’s top exports are aerospace products and automotive products. Our exports are up almost 10 percent this year. Compare that to the national average of 3 percent and it’s clear the commonwealth is a manufacturing force to be reckoned with.

Last year, a Forbes article ranked Louisville, Ky., as one of their top ten “Big Cities Leading a U.S. Manufacturing Revival.” The article ranked 257 metro areas based on employment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Louisville ranked second, just behind Houston, and ahead of third-ranked Seattle. Manufacturing jobs in Louisville have increased nearly 15 percent since 2009, employing 72,500 people.

There are plenty of signs to indicate that advanced manufacturing in Kentucky is experiencing tremendous growth. We are pleased to have been chosen as the electrical engineering firm for many of these expansion and new location projects. Projects like the Toyota paint mix renovation and Toyota paint addition, as well as multiple projects for Ford Motor Company, are a clear indicator of the automotive and advanced manufacturing industry’s growth. As these projects reach completion, they will mean more jobs for Kentuckians. AES is thrilled to help build a brighter future for Kentucky’s economy.

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