LG Electronics' U.S. Tennessee Plant Surpasses 10 Million Units in Cumulative Laundry Appliance Production, Driving North American Market Leadership

Eight years after beginning operations
Results of localization and innovative technologies

LG Electronics' Tennessee plant in the United States, a key North American production base, has surpassed 10 million units in cumulative production, marking the success of its local production strategy and smart factory innovations. The milestone was achieved about eight years after the plant began operations.

LG Electronics held an event on the 13th (local time) at its plant in Tennessee, the United States, to celebrate cumulative production of 10 million laundry appliances. From second left: Park Yong, head of LG Electronics' Tennessee production subsidiary; Son Changwoo, head of LG Electronics' Living Solutions Business Division; and Josh Ward, executive director of the county's Industrial Development Board. LG Electronics

LG Electronics said on November 15 that it held an event on November 13 (local time) at its Tennessee production subsidiary in Nashville, Tennessee, to celebrate reaching 10 million units in cumulative production and recognize its employees. Attendees included Son Changwoo, head of LG Electronics' Living Solutions Business Division; Park Yong, head of its Tennessee production subsidiary; and Josh Ward, executive director of the Clarksville-Montgomery County Industrial Development Board, along with other prominent guests from inside and outside the company.

LG Electronics secured a 1.254 million-square-meter site in Clarksville, Tennessee, about the size of 175 soccer fields, and has invested approximately $500 million (about KRW 670 billion) in expanding facilities and advancing manufacturing. Starting with washing machine production in November 2018, the plant expanded its product lineup to include dryers in 2022 and WashTower units in 2023. It now has an annual production capacity of 2.25 million units in total, including 1.55 million washing machines and 700,000 dryers, about four times the 2019 level.

The Tennessee plant's rapid growth is the result of combining mass-production expertise from the Changwon plant and "Core Tech" from the Gasan R&D Campus - technologies for key components such as motors, compressors, and controls - with a supply system tailored to the U.S. market. According to market research firm Traqline, LG Electronics' U.S. revenue market shares for washing machines and dryers rose sharply from 17.2% and 17.4%, respectively, in 2018, before the Tennessee plant began operating, to 23.3% and 24.1% last year, securing the top spot in both markets.

The plant's greatest competitive advantages are shorter logistics lead times and cost protection. The supply period, which used to take more than 10 weeks when products were manufactured at Asian production bases and shipped to U.S. store shelves, has dropped significantly to about one week since the Tennessee plant began operating. This has helped build a stable supply chain that can withstand global trade and logistics risks, including surging ocean freight rates and tariff barriers.

Product designs that quickly reflect local consumer lifestyles have also played a key role. Popular products include washing machines with angled openings that let users remove laundry without bending deeply, designed with North American consumers' body types in mind; a standard "Pet Care" cycle for households with pets, introduced in 2025; and the built-in-style WashTower, designed to fit into built-in spaces.

The Tennessee plant is evolving into a world-class smart factory and a proving ground for LG Electronics' "Physical AI" technology. In 2023, it became the first home appliance factory in the United States and the first overseas factory operated by a Korean company to be named a World Economic Forum (WEF) Lighthouse Factory. By combining about 300 industrial robots with AI and digital twin technologies, it has achieved a process automation rate of about 70%, among the highest across LG Electronics' global production bases.

Its advanced processes have led to outstanding quality ratings. In Consumer Reports' evaluations, as of October, LG Electronics ranked among the top models in front-load washers (ranks 1-5), agitator top-load washers (ranks 1-3), high-efficiency top-load washers (ranks 1-7), and electric dryers (ranks 1-18). It also accounted for four of the five recommended laundry appliance models in the recently announced "Best Products of 2026."

Recently, LG Electronics began using its next-generation intelligent robot, LG CLOiD, on an actual production line and is conducting proof-of-concept (PoC) tests for advanced tasks such as carrying washing machine tops and aligning and loading drain pumps. The company is accelerating the commercialization of Physical AI through a "data feedback loop": work data collected on-site is used to train the system at the Yangjae Data Factory in Seoul and then fed back into the production process.

Since completing the Tennessee plant at the end of 2018, LG Electronics has created quality jobs and consistently pursued initiatives that have a tangible impact on the local community, including developing local talent and supporting vulnerable groups, fulfilling its social responsibilities as a corporate citizen. The Tennessee plant has created about 1,000 jobs, including those at partner companies, helping revitalize the local economy and expand employment opportunities.

LG Electronics is also committed to supporting future generations and the local community. It donated WashTower units to elementary schools in Tennessee to help low-income students struggling because they do not have washing machines at home. Since 2020, it has also worked with the local Korean association to provide home appliances and donations to the families of Korean War veterans living in Tennessee, expressing gratitude for their sacrifice and dedication.

LG Electronics has also been an official sponsor of the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL), based in Nashville, Tennessee, since 2021. Together with Titans players and local residents, the company runs clothing-recycling campaigns that collect and wash used clothing before distributing it to neighbors in need, as well as appliance donation campaigns. It continues to support appliance donations through sports and community-focused social contribution activities.

Baek Seungtae, president of LG Electronics' HS Business Division and executive vice president, said, "The Tennessee plant has reached 10 million units in cumulative production as LG Electronics' laundry appliances have continued to earn the trust of customers in North America. We will continue to strengthen our leadership in the North American market through differentiated products and AI-based manufacturing innovations."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.