Foxconn plans to expand its US manufacturing footprint with an investment of about US$174 million in Louisville, Kentucky, converting an existing 325,000-square-metre (80-acre) warehouse into a factory. The project is expected to create around 180 jobs and begin operations in the third quarter of 2026.
According to AppleInsider, the plant will introduce AI and robotics in processes such as design and assembly, a model that does not align with Apple's highly vertically integrated approach. The scale of investment and capacity configuration is also insufficient to support mass production of flagship products such as the iPhone or iPad, leading observers to conclude the facility is unlikely to be built for Apple and is more likely to serve other Foxconn customers.
The refurbishment will be executed in two phases, with a total investment of about US$62.5 million. Kentucky will offer incentives over a 10-year period worth up to US$3.4 million, in addition to US$0.6 million in tax incentives.
Foxconn's US$10 billion investment plan announced in Wisconsin in 2018 failed to progress as expected due to downsizing and construction delays. By contrast, the Kentucky project is far smaller in scale, giving it a higher likelihood of execution.
Article edited by Jack Wu