LOUISVILLE — For several decades, the sight of an empty factory in the American heartland usually meant one thing: More manufacturing jobs had decamped to a foreign locale.
But here at GE Appliances’ sprawling industrial headquarters, a vacant plant is a sign that jobs are coming home. This 1950s-era facility, one of five that turns out home appliances under familiar GE brands such as Hotpoint and Profile, is preparing to reclaim a manufacturing line that currently hums in China.