The Kentucky Association of Manufacturers and the National Reshoring Center (NRC) will launch ReshoreKY at the 2026 Kentucky Industry Conference on October 14 in Lexington.
ReshoreKY will focus on a simple question: What are Kentucky companies buying overseas that Kentucky manufacturers can make here at home?
Kentucky has a powerful manufacturing base: $49.8 billion in manufacturing value added, 254,500 manufacturing workers, and approximately 6,000 manufacturers across the Commonwealth. At the same time, Kentucky imports approximately $96.5 billion in goods while exporting about $50.6 billion, creating a $45.9 billion trade deficit.
NRC estimates that approximately $29.7 billion in potential reshoring opportunity exists across Kentucky’s economy, 31% of the state's imports.
ReshoreKY will use that import demand to identify potential opportunities for Kentucky manufacturers, then bring together industry, economic development, workforce, education, and public-sector partners to determine which opportunities can realistically move toward production.
"Kentucky already has one of the strongest manufacturing bases in the country. ReshoreKY gives us another way to help manufacturers identify new opportunities for growth, strengthen America’s supply chains, and create new economic opportunities for Kentucky communities and families," said Frank Jemley, President and CEO of the Kentucky Association of Manufacturers.
ReshoreKY will become part of the NRC's state-by-state network and build on lessons from ReshoreWV, West Virginia's reshoring initiative.
"Kentucky is not starting alone," said Ed Ryan, National Reshoring Center founder. “Kentucky manufacturers already have tremendous capability. The opportunity is to better connect that capability with the billions of dollars of products currently being purchased overseas.”
The National Reshoring Center began through an initial partnership a year ago between ReshoreWV and the West Virginia Manufacturers Association (WVMA). Founded by Ed Ryan, this import substitution initiative continues to be well received by business leaders and elected officials in the Mountain State and is gaining ground in numerous other states.
"With President Trump's admirable goal of growing manufacturing here at home, we appreciate Ed Ryan's expertise and vision on how to connect our manufacturers so they can grow their market or shorten their supply chains through the application of technology, connections, and relationship-building that creates more opportunities for our member companies," said Bill Bissett, WVMA President. "Simply put, West Virginia wins when our manufacturing companies work with domestic suppliers rather than importing materials from other countries, and ReshoreWV's mission helps our state accomplish this goal."
KAM will introduce ReshoreKY to the Kentucky Industry Conference audience on the morning of October 14. At 2:00 p.m. that afternoon, the conference will host a 60-minute panel featuring key figures from West Virginia who have helped establish ReshoreWV over the past year. They will share practical lessons on what has worked, what took longer than expected, how manufacturers and partners were engaged, and what Kentucky can carry forward as it begins building ReshoreKY.
The panel, "Bring Manufacturing Home: A Practical Discussion on How States Can Leverage Import Demand to Grow Local Economy," will include perspectives from manufacturing, industry associations, workforce and higher education, economic development, public policy, and state commerce.
About the Kentucky Association of Manufacturers
The Kentucky Association of Manufacturers (KAM) is Kentucky’s leading industry and business organization. Our mission is to make a better Kentucky by promoting and growing manufacturing and economic opportunity in the Commonwealth. We are the voice for free enterprise and economic growth in Kentucky. Learn more at KAM.us.com.
About the National Reshoring Center
The National Reshoring Center helps states, manufacturers, and partners identify import demand that may be converted into domestic production opportunities through practical, state-led reshoring initiatives.
