Automotive supplier ElringKlinger A.G. is investing $40.3 million to establish operations in Easley, S.C., to create a U.S. battery development and manufacturing center.
The new 226,000-sq.-ft. facility will manufacture electric battery cell contacting systems, which connect the individual cells of a battery pack, making the energy available to the drive system, a June 24 news release said.
The new operation will become the company's main U.S. hub for developing and manufacturing battery products, the release said.
"The American market generally offers great potential for battery technology applications," ElringKlinger CEO Thomas Jessulat said in the release. "When it comes to unlocking this potential, the U.S. state of South Carolina is an optimal starting point for establishing the group's Battery Center Americas."
The investment is expected to create 115 new jobs in the region. Operations are expected to begin in mid-2025.
Representatives for ElringKlinger did not respond to multiple requests for comment by Plastics News, a Rubber News sister publication.
Dettingen an der Erms, Germany-based ElringKlinger serves the electrification and hydrogen mobility markets by focusing on battery and fuel cell technology, related components and assemblies for engines, and the chassis of a car, including plastic housing and metallic stamped and molded parts. The company operates 44 manufacturing sites globally.
