Ford Begins Construction on BlueOval SK Battery Park

As of this week, Ford has broken ground on its new battery plant, BlueOval SK Battery Park. Located in Kentucky, this facility represents a huge step towards Ford’s goal of producing a global total of 2 million electric vehicles annually by the end of 2026. BlueOval SK Battery Park is scheduled to start production in 2025, and construction is currently proceeding on schedule.

“BlueOval SK Battery Park will be at the core of the electrification of the North American auto market,” said Jee Dong-seob, SK On president and CEO. “We expect SK On and Ford’s leadership in the global electric vehicle market to be solidified through BlueOval SK.”

Part of the new 1,500-acre site will be the new Elizabethtown Community and Technical College (ECTC) BlueOval SK Training Center, where an estimated 5,000 new workers will be trained. The ECTC is the only co-branded learning facility within the Kentucky Community College System, and the training program is the culmination of a $25 million investment by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The participants will be trained in battery knowledge, roles and skills, and SK On’s processes, in state of the art reality labs, industrial maintenance labs, work simulation labs and ergonomics techniques classrooms. Construction is projected to begin in 2023 and be completed by 2024.

“The partnership between Kentucky and Ford dates back more than a century, to the very dawn of the automobile industry,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said. “That bond 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 the biggest investment ever by Ford, this project cements Kentucky’s status as the electric vehicle battery production capital of the United States.”

Barton Malow Company and Gray Construction are Ford’s construction partners on this project, and together the companies are making donations, arranging sponsorships and supporting volunteer efforts in Kentucky communities. One of the main projects has been restoring and refreshing the parks and sidewalks, some of which were over 100 years old, throughout the city of Glendale, the home of BlueOval SK Battery Park. Ford invested close to $40,000 in the project and supplied the manpower from Barton Malow Company and Gray Construction.

“Ford has been a pillar of the community in Kentucky for more than a century and now Glendale will write the next chapter,” said Lisa Slaven, Hardin County Schools Transition Readiness Director. “As an educator and member of this community, I view the building of BlueOval SK Battery Park as synonymous with creating new learning opportunities and skill sets for the careers of tomorrow for our students, our community and Kentucky.”

When BlueOval SK Battery Park becomes operational, it will not only become a huge source of employment for the local community and a great training facility, it will power the next generation of Ford electric vehicles. For more information on current Ford electric vehicles, contact us to discuss your options!