Blue Oval SK is projected to bring more than 22,000 people to Hardin County.
“This is the sweet spot for the whole state of Kentucky for the future in terms of growth, and you’re in the middle of it,” said Luke Schmidt of L.B. Schmidt and Associates as he delivered a presentation on the results of a long-term economic impact study for the Blue Oval Project at the Hardin County Chamber of Commerce’s August Luncheon Wednesday.
“As a standalone battery plant, Blue Oval SK is going to be the largest EV electric battery plant in the world,” said Schmidt. “In terms of investment, in terms of its physical size, in terms of the number of jobs created, and the manufacturing capacity. That’s what’s really important here.”
Projections from the study indicate that nearly 9,000 new housing units will be needed to accommodate the increased population.
“By 2030, we expect that the Hardin County population will grow from 111,000 to about 134,000,” Schmidt said. “We also expect that most, if not all, of those people will relocate in and around Elizabethtown, whether they’re directly in the city limits or right on the outside.”
About 3,900 new K-12 students will be going to school in Hardin County, and the area will need 75 more hospital beds along with nearly 400 new hospital jobs.
“When the plant is fully staffed, the average annual pay will be about $53,000 per worker, and when you add on fringe benefits that’s about $73,000,” Schmidt said. “There’s no question that the battery plant will attract several new suppliers or businesses to Hardin County.”
As Schmidt was delivering his presentation to chamber members, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear was at the Blue Oval site, touring the construction with Ford, SK, and government officials.
The governor said considering the size and scale of the project, the progress at the site is impressive.
“The best news that I can give you is the project is on schedule,” Beshear said, “and that is an incredible statement from a size of a battery plant that has never been built, but so many groups, from the contractors to the building trades to others, making this dream a reality.”
Beshear said the Blue Oval development is only the beginning of more growth for the commonwealth.
“This is our game changer,” Beshear said. “This is our game changer not just for this region but for the entire commonwealth of Kentucky. Since the announcement that Ford and SK were picking Kentucky we’ve had over $10.5 billion in investment in the EV sector alone. They didn’t just put us on the map overnight. It made us a leader.”
Blue Oval SK Human Resources Director Neva Burke said the hiring process for the plant is ramping up.
“We have already hired our leadership team, and we’re moving forward with that, “ Burke said. “We’ve also hired a lot of engineers that have been right here from this area, and we’re excited about that. We’ve also started to hire our hourly employees. Our operators and maintenance technicians, and we’re moving forward with that as well.”
Hardin County Judge-Executive Keith Taul took part in the tour. He said the rapid growth coming to the area will have its challenges, but it does provide a great opportunity.
“I feel the pressures and the weight of supplying the services to the people in our county and those that are about to move here,” Taul said. “But I’m very excited about it. It’s a big challenge, and I just wanted to thank Ford and SK for investing in this community.”
The impact study will be available for viewing once completely finished at www.hardinchamber.com. More information on the Blue Oval project, including employment opportunities, can be found at www.blueovalsk.com.
