Ironworkers bring steel out of the ground at Honda EV Plant

In late June, the first steel beam was installed, officially bringing the project out of the ground.

The first steel beam is installed at the $3.5 billion Honda/LG Energy Solutions EV Plant in Jeffersonville. The beam is one of many that will be needed in order to build the 2 million-square-foot-facility. Work on the project will be performed under a Project Labor Agreement.

The $3.5 billion project broke ground on Feb. 28. After four months of site preparation work,  structural steel is now being erected. 

In the coming months, crews will install roughly 200 miles of steel on the 2 million-square-foot facility. 

The plant is part of an overall $4.4 billion project to create Honda’s EV hub in Ohio. About $900 million will be invested into Honda’s three Ohio manufacturing plants, converting them for future production of electric vehicles.  

Dorsey Hager, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council Executive Secretary-Treasurer, said the project – expected to create thousands of construction jobs – is on schedule.

Teamsters, Operating Engineers, Laborers and Iron Workers have been working on the site, according to Hager. Work is expected to significantly increase in September. 

“It’s important that with our partnership with LG, Honda, Turner, Yates and Kokosing, we prove to the state and others around the world that Ohio is the place to do business and that we can construct these megaprojects safely, on time and under budget,” Hager added. 

Bob Lee, CEO of the LGES-Honda joint venture, described the start of structural steel as an important milestone. 

“Construction is on track, and we look forward to reaching many more milestones on the way to starting production of EV batteries in 2025,” Lee said. 

It is estimated this project will create up to 2,200 construction jobs, giving affiliated members of the Columbus/Central Ohio Building Trades, along with affiliates of neighboring building trades councils, ample work opportunities. 

The facility will be built on an accelerated schedule, as construction is set to be completed by the end of 2024.