Automotive Manufacturing

Northern Kentucky is home for many manufacturers in the automotive industry. More than 40 automotive companies are already located in Northern Kentucky, including major employers and Tier 1 suppliers like Robert Bosch Automotive Steering, Mubea and Johnson Controls, as well as advanced automation, machine parts, metals, plastics and distribution facilities.

Why NKY – Our Advantages

• Location: Northern Kentucky can serve northern and southern OEM markets – we’re in the center of Auto Alley. Kentucky is within 600 miles of 64 automotive OEM facilities and home to four major assembly plants—Ford (two plants), General Motors and Toyota. (Source: ThinkKentucky, 2020)

• Industry Expertise: Northern Kentucky has a strong reputation and history of manufacturing. The region is home to a variety of automotive suppliers including sensors & controls; engine production & metal fabrication; chemicals, plastics and composites; automation and distribution.

• Cost Competitive: Average wages are lower in NKY; annual electric costs in Kentucky were 7th lowest in the country in 2020. (Source: EIA)

• Kentucky prioritizes automotive manufacturing: Over the past 5 years, the auto industry has announced more than $10.8B in investments in the state. Kentucky is ranked #1 for automotive production per capita in the U.S. (Source: Think Kentucky, 2020)

Workforce

With a labor shed of over 1.1 million people and more than 20,000 people currently employed in the automotive industry, Northern Kentucky has a strong core of both professional and production workers. Business, data, engineering and manufacturing degree programs complement custom apprenticeships to ensure that our talent and automotive workforce is equipped with skills and hands-on experience in robotics, maintenance and repair, materials, data analytics and information technology.

Major Companies in Northern Kentucky – See them on a map