GE Appliances invests $28 million in north Alabama refrigeration plant

GE Appliances, a Haier company, has invested $28 million in its refrigeration plant in Decatur. The investment includes upgrades in the equipment at the facility and the of a new primary care clinic for GE Appliances employees and their families. This investment strengthens GE Appliances’ Alabama workforce, deepens community relationships, and reinforces its position as an employer of choice in northern Alabama, the company said in a news release. The investment is part of GE Appliances’ previously announced $3 billion investment to expand U.S. manufacturing over the next five years, reinforcing the company’s long-term business strategy and commitment to design, engineer and build its most advanced products in the United States. A significant portion of the $28 million investment in the Decatur plant funded new, highly automated thermoforming machines that produce interior liners for fresh food and freezer sections of top-freezer refrigerators. The technology improves efficiency and expands production capacity across multiple models, supporting the plant’s three-shift operation. Additional upgrades include new lighting and 21 new commercial air-conditioning units added to improve the employee work experience, the company said. The investment is part of GE Appliances’ work to expand its manufacturing footprint and increase investment in American communities. GE Appliances has been part of the Decatur community since 1977. GE Appliances’ Decatur plant is the highest-volume refrigeration plant in the country and nationally recognized for manufacturing excellence, producing 16-22 cubic ft. refrigerators that rank no. 1 in quality and dependability, the company said. “Investing in advanced manufacturing and employee health is a winning combination that strengthens our business,” said Rocki Rockingham, chief human resources officer at GE Appliances. “How we show up matters. At GE Appliances, we are creating appliances our consumers love in an environment where our employees can do their best work and build lasting careers.” Beyond plant updates, the $28 million investment will fund a new, state-of-the-art primary care clinic serving employees and their covered family members (ages 2 and older). The new facility is GE Appliances’ fourth onsite advanced primary care clinic at its manufacturing sites. The clinics are managed by healthcare provider CareATC and free to employees on the company health plan. The Decatur CareATC clinic builds on the success of GE Appliances’ on-site clinics at its plants in Louisville, Kentucky; Selmer, Tennessee; and LaFayette, Georgia.