Energy Power Systems, LLC (EPS), a Michigan-based advanced battery technology company, announced it is establishing a high-volume manufacturing facility in Pontiac, MI, creating more than 300 new high-tech and manufacturing jobs during the initial production phase. The company is leasing 150,000 square feet of the former General Motors Pontiac Centerpoint Central building from Industrial Realty Group (IRG), which purchased the property from RACER Trust.
The new facility, expected to begin commercial scale production in early 2016, will produce high-performance, low-cost and long-life batteries for use in fuel efficient start/stop and micro-hybrid vehicles; utility-scale distributed energy storage; renewable energy integration; and fast-charging infrastructure for electric propulsion vehicles. The initial annual production capacity will be 500 MWh, the equivalent of 500,000 start/stop vehicle batteries. The new facility will use state-of-the-art, ultra-low emission manufacturing processes that support the company’s commitment to sustainability and a clean environment.
“The EPS team has successfully completed the product development phase and we are now launching the commercialization phase,” said Subhash Dhar, Founder, Chairman and CEO of EPS. “This major milestone is a testament to the proven performance attributes of our PLM™ technology, which offers a superior value proposition for our customers’ applications.”
The Pontiac Centerpoint Central campus includes a 1.2-million-square-foot office building that will be converted to a high-end industrial, multi-tenant facility. The property had been vacant since 2008.
“We are proud to welcome EPS as our first tenant to the facility and support the job creation it will bring to Pontiac,” said Stuart Lichter, President and CEO of IRG.
“RACER congratulates EPS on its decision to locate at the Pontiac Central facility,” said Elliott P. Laws, of EPLET, LLC, Administrative Trustee of RACER Trust. “This is an extremely positive step for citizens of Pontiac and all of Oakland County.”
EPS has enjoyed great support from the State of Michigan, including the Legislature, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality; Oakland County; and the City of Pontiac. EPS will continue to work with these groups on various programs as it moves forward to bring high-quality jobs to Michigan.
“This is great news for Pontiac, Oakland County and the State of Michigan,” Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson said.
“The City of Pontiac welcomes Energy Power Systems,” Pontiac City Administrator Joseph M. Sobota said. “The use of the property is a perfect fit for the area.”