PebHmong Discussion Forum
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: theking on June 01, 2026, 10:59:18 PM
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Why a Chinese-owned company is bringing factory jobs back to the U.S.
GE Appliances is a poster child for the president’s promised manufacturing revival. But tariffs are making it harder to onshore jobs
LOUISVILLE — For several decades, the sight of an empty factory in the American heartland usually meant one thing: More manufacturing jobs had decamped to a foreign locale.
But here at GE Appliances’ sprawling industrial headquarters, a vacant plant is a sign that jobs are coming home. This 1950s-era facility, one of five that turns out home appliances under familiar GE brands such as Hotpoint and Profile, is preparing to reclaim a manufacturing line that currently hums in China.
If all goes well, about 800 American workers will begin producing a combination clothes washer and dryer here next spring. The work, which also includes a line of front-load washers, will mark a milestone in GE Appliances’ $6.5 billion, 13-year bid to boost domestic manufacturing.
This reshoring success story has drawn plaudits from the White House, even though a Chinese corporation now owns GE Appliances and its American boss complains about President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
As the United States races to produce more of what it consumes, GE’s experience shows that bringing work home offers real advantages over ocean-spanning supply chains. But reviving domestic production means overcoming daunting obstacles, including relentless cost pressures, young Americans’ aversion to factory jobs and gaps in the nation’s industrial base.
“This should be a good proof case of, yeah, this can work. Is it easy? No. And do we have a lot of things working against us? Yeah,” said Kevin Nolan, GE Appliances’ chief executive.
(https://d1m1abi18wgglj.archive.is/izviO/867bcc9a6ba3aeb219fcd82594410087aa23ade9.webp)