Ten years after Midea picked Louisville for its U.S. research operations, the appliance maker is putting $35.6 million into an expansion expected to bring 110 new jobs to the city, according to Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg. Greenberg marked the milestone by pointing to the company's growth at its Blankenbaker Station facility, framing it as the next chapter for an operation that has called Louisville home for a decade.
In a post on X, Mayor Craig Greenberg
wrote that “Ten years ago, Midea chose Louisville. Today, we cut the ribbon on their next chapter!” He described the investment as “a $35.6 million investment, 110 new jobs and even more innovation happening right here in our city.” Greenberg posts under the handle LouisvilleMayor and is based in Louisville, Kentucky.
Midea's America Research Center, known as MARC, was established in Louisville in 2016, according to prnewswire.com. The company formally announced its latest expansion plans for the Blankenbaker Station facility on July 29, 2024, per a release carried by streetinsider.com. That expansion is expected to bring an estimated 110 new jobs to the region over the coming years, the same prnewswire.com release states.
What's Growing at Blankenbaker Station
The expanded facility is set to sit at 2700 Chestnut Station Court in Blankenbaker Station, according to buildingkentucky.com, which also reports that Midea plans to invest $35.6 million in Jefferson County. The project will add laboratory and office space along with a new consumer research center and customer showroom, the prnewswire.com release notes. Combined, those additions are expected to increase Midea's footprint in Louisville by approximately 400%, per the same release.
A separate buildingkentucky.com report on the groundbreaking similarly describes the project as growing by approximately 400% and slated for completion the following year, consistent with Midea’s description of the project’s scale. Earlier reporting from bizjournals.com, dated December 2023, had described Midea as considering a $35 million Louisville expansion, framing the move as a reflection of the company's success in the city.
A Research Hub With a National Role
MARC functions as Midea Group's U.S. research hub, according to midea.com.cn, working on research and development, innovation, and product-development strategy for the company's U.S.-branded products. The center is also described as generating U.S. patents and providing technical support for Midea's North American business, per the same source. Buildingkentucky.com's coverage of the groundbreaking framed the expansion as further positioning Louisville as a hub for next-generation appliance innovation.
Midea's broader innovation work includes consumer and market research. MARC was established in Louisville in 2016, and Midea announced an expansion there in 2024.
