Gov. Beshear responds to SK On ending joint venture with Ford, says Ford’s commitment to Kentucky “remains strong”

FRANKFORT, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – Gov. Andy Beshear is weighing in after South Korean battery manufacturer SK On announced it is ending its joint venture with Ford Motor Company for their U.S. battery plants — a move that shifts full control of Kentucky operations to Ford.

Under the change, Ford will take over the Kentucky-based battery facilities, south of Bardstown, while SK On will assume control of operations in Tennessee.

Beshear said his office is in communication with Ford leadership about what the shift means for the future of the projects, but emphasized that Ford’s long relationship with Kentucky gives him confidence.

“Ford has been committed to Kentucky since the first Model T rolled off the line in Louisville – and that commitment to our state and our workforce remains strong,” Beshear said Thursday. “In fact, the company just this summer announced the third largest investment in state history at the Louisville Assembly Plant.”

Beshear added that he remains “optimistic on the future of these facilities” as Ford takes full ownership of the state’s battery operations.