MEMPHIS (AP) — Building construction has begun at the future site of a factory where Ford and a South Korean company have joined forces to build electric trucks and batteries in rural west Tennessee, officials said Friday.

Ford Motor Co. said it has broken ground on the construction of steel structures in Stanton, Tennessee, located about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Memphis.

Last year, Ford announced a $5.6 billion project to build electric F-Series pickups at the 3,600-acre (1,460-hectare) parcel of land known as the Memphis Regional Megasite.

The project, called BlueOval City, is a joint venture with SK Innovation, which will build battery factories at the Tennessee site and in Glendale, Kentucky.

In West Tennessee, the project is predicted to boost the economies of several counties. Ford plans to employ about 6.000 workers at the plant, while construction of the factory and the arrival of Ford suppliers will create thousands more jobs.

Crews already started ground leveling operations at the site in March, but Friday's announcement marks a key step forward in the construction of the actual factory. Ford has said it plans to start production by 2025.