FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Hitachi is renovating an automotive facility in Kentucky to build electric motors, adding nearly 200 jobs.
Electric motor production at the Berea plant could begin next year depending on the impact of the pandemic, according to a release from Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear's office.
The motors are being built for Honda. The current facility employs about 20 people and is expected to grow to about 200 workers in 2023.
Berea Mayor Bruce Fraley welcomed the expansion.
"One of our goals over the last two years has been to attract state-of-the-art, advanced manufacturing to our city, and Hitachi MS is the perfect partner,” Mayor Fraley said in the governor's release. Fraley said the state Cabinet for Economic Development worked with Hitachi to bring the expansion to Berea.
Hitachi Automotive Systems has four facilities in Kentucky, with two in Berea.