Barton Malow's BlueOval SK Battery Park Kentucky project has received national recognition for its design-build delivery, highlighting the coordination required to construct a large-scale electric vehicle battery manufacturing campus.
The Design-Build Institute of America presented the 2026 National Design-Build Merit Award in the Industrial, Process and/or Research Facilities category. More than 80 projects were submitted across 10 categories and evaluated by a panel of industry professionals.
The awards were presented Nov. 5, 2026, during DBIA's Design-Build Conference and Expo in Cleveland, Ohio.
BlueOval SK Battery Park is a joint venture between Ford Motor Company and SK On. The $5 billion development represents a major investment in U.S. electric vehicle battery manufacturing.
Located on approximately 1,500 acres in Glendale, Kentucky, the campus transformed a former agricultural site into a large manufacturing complex. Barton Malow partnered with Lexington-based Gray Construction to deliver two major facilities with a combined 9 million square feet under roof.
The construction effort involved 11.4 million work hours and achieved a rework rate of less than 0.5%, according to Barton Malow.
The award recognizes the project team's ability to manage the scale and technical demands of a major industrial development through collaboration among the owners, designers, construction partners and trade teams.
For industrial owners and contractors, the project illustrates the coordination required to deliver large manufacturing facilities while maintaining quality across extensive construction programmes. The recognition also highlights the role of integrated design-build delivery in supporting complex industrial investments.
Source: barton Malow.
