Metals & Minerals Leads Kentucky's $7 Billion of Projects Under Construction

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Industrial Info is tracking more than $7 billion worth of projects that are under construction in Kentucky. Thanks in large part to construction of a grassroot steel mill, the Metals & Minerals Industry leads the state in terms of project value, followed by the Industrial Manufacturing Industry.

Click on the image at right for a breakdown by industry of projects under construction in Kentucky.

Entering startup is Nucor Corporation's (NYSE:NUE) (Charlotte, North Carolina) grassroot steel plate facility in Brandenburg, Kentucky. Announced in 2019, the project broke ground in October 2020. The 1.2 million-ton-per-year mill will produce cut-to-length, coiled, heat-treated and discrete plates. In addition, a rail loop around the facility is being constructed to facilitate loading and unloading of freight cars and other railway vehicles. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Metals & Minerals Project Database can click here for the report on the steel plate mill and here for rail loop report.

A 120,000-ton-per-year blast and prime-line addition at the mill is expected to begin operating early next year, which will allow customers broader offerings of wider and thicker plate products. Subscribers can click here for the report.

Several Industrial Manufacturing projects are underway in Kentucky, ranging from automotive projects to logistics centers. Among the largest of these projects is Toyota Motor Corporation's (NYSE:TM) (Toyota City, Japan) expansion of its vehicle and engine assembly plant in Georgetown. The project entails installing a dedicated production line for heavy-duty truck fuel cell modules to produce fuel cell systems for the Kenworth T680-class trucks. A 2.4-liter turbo engine line also will be added to the facility's product mix. The project kicked off late last year and is expected to wrap up in late 2023. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Industrial Manufacturing Project Database can click here for more details.

GE Appliances (Louisville, Kentucky) also is getting in on the manufacturing action with the expansion of its appliance plant in Louisville, including new production and assembly lines to increase production of products such as dishwashers, clothes washers and refrigerators. The expanded plant is expected to add about 1,000 jobs when the project is completed in late 2023. Subscribers can click here for the full report.

While natural gas-fired power projects are becoming less frequent in the U.S., Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) (Knoxville, Tennessee) is bucking the trend by constructing a simple-cycle unit at its Paradise power plant in Drakesboro, Kentucky. The facility originally consisted of three coal-fired units, two of which were retired in 2017 and replaced with natural gas-fired combined cycle units. A third coal unit was retired in 2020. The cooling towers of the three coal units were imploded in November. Early this year, TVA began construction of the simple-cycle unit, which is expected to be completed in early 2024. The unit will add 750 megawatts (MW) of generating capacity. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Power Project Database can click here for more details.

While Kentucky lacks the solar and wind projects seen in other states, at least one renewable energy project is underway. In 2021, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began the refurbishment of four hydro turbines at the Barkley Hydropower Station near Kuttawa. The project includes replacing the turbine runners and rewinding the generators to both improve performance and extend the facility's service life. The project is expected to wrap up in 2025. Subscribers can click here for the report.

Earlier this year, Tyson Foods Incorporated (NYSE:TSN) (Springdale, Arkansas) broke ground for a new 400,000-square-foot building at its campus in Bowling Green. Upon completion, expected late next year, the plant will produce Jimmy Dean and Wright brand bacon. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Food & Beverage Project Database can click here for more details.

Subscribers can click here for details of all of the projects discussed in this article, and here for the related plant profiles.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).