Bomb Threat Halts BlueOvalSK Factory Construction in Kentucky

The construction site of “BlueOvalSK,” a joint venture between SK On and Ford for electric vehicle batteries, located in Kentucky, USA, temporarily halted operations due to a bomb threat. No casualties occurred, and an investigation is underway in cooperation with investigators.

BlueOvalSK announced that the bomb threat was confirmed at the Glendale, Hardin County construction site at about 12:30 pm local time on the 22nd, and all employees were evacuated. The police are currently dispatching a bomb disposal squad and other units to search the facility.

The threat was written on toilet paper in a portable restroom at the construction site, saying, “A bomb will explode at 1 pm.” So far, no explosives have been found other than the note.

As the investigation is ongoing, it is uncertain when construction at BlueOvalSK will resume. The government and police authorities will follow the decision made by BlueOvalSK.

A representative from BlueOvalSK stated, “BlueOvalSK prioritizes safety. We evacuated from the site to ensure the safety of all workers.”

BlueOvalSK is building two factories in Glendale, Kentucky, each with an annual production capacity of 43 GWh. The batteries produced here will be installed in Ford vehicles and Lincoln’s next-generation electric vehicles. They plan to hire approximately 5,000 new employees.

Construction began in the second half of 2022, with the first factory scheduled to start operation in 2025 and the second in 2026. The operation of the second factory was delayed, as announced last October, due to Ford, the joint venture partner, readjusting its investment plans due to a slowdown in the demand for electric vehicles. The new production start date has not been disclosed.