Saft America to Build Lithium-Ion Battery Plant in Florida

Saft America, Inc., a world leader in the design and manufacture of high-technology batteries, was awarded a $95.5-million federal grant to construct a LEED-certified factory that will produce lithium ion batteries. President Obama announced this grant as part of $2.4 billion in allocations to accelerate the manufacturing and deployment of ...

Saft America, Inc., a world leader in the design and manufacture of high-technology batteries, was awarded a $95.5-million federal grant to construct a LEED-certified factory that will produce lithium ion batteries. President Obama announced this grant as part of $2.4 billion in allocations to accelerate the manufacturing and deployment of U.S. batteries and electric vehicles.

Jacksonville, FL is moving forward with an incentive agreement for Saft America Inc. to build a lithium-ion battery facility at Cecil Commerce Center.

Saft previously indicated their intent to build a factory in Jacksonville contingent upon the successful negotiations relating to available state and local incentive programs for capital investment and job creation. The public investment programs proposed are critical to the company’s site location decision-making process to ensure economic viability of the program, make Jacksonville competitive with packages being offered by the other locations and help off-set the costs of establishing a manufacturing plant in Jacksonville. Other locations being evaluated for this project include sites in Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia and Ohio.

The project would add 279 new, full-time jobs to the local market at an average wage of $44,807, more than 115 percent of the state average wage. In addition, Saft would invest approximately $122 million in new, private capital for facility construction, manufacturing equipment, furniture, fixtures and information technology infrastructure.

”The City of Jacksonville looks forward to having Saft America, Inc. as a strong community partner at Cecil and is eager to see their development of lithium-ion cells and batteries that will help address the nation’s energy needs,” said Mayor Peyton. ”This truly was a collaborative effort with local, state and federal officials working together to attract this international company to Jacksonville and I greatly appreciate all of the hard work. Council President Richard Clark and I, along with leadership from the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, were fortunate to have meetings with Saft officials on a recent trip to France that help further strengthen Jacksonville’s position as the ideal location for their battery plant.”

The rechargeable batteries produced by this plant will be used by the U.S. military, aviation industries, civilian industries reliant on continuous power streams such as telecommunications, and within the developing U.S. Smart Grid.

Saft, the parent company of Saft America, Inc., is the world’s leading designer, developer and manufacturer of advanced technology batteries for industrial and defense applications.

Daily News, Economic Development

Sponsored Content
Featured Location

Location Spotlight: Ohio Electric Cooperatives

Ohio consistently ranks as one of the top U.S. destinations for new corporate facilities, meaning prime sites are quickly snapped up. Economic development officials and private developers are working cooperatively to ensure the pipeline of immediately-developable sites stays full with diverse location opportunities.

Featured Video

Webinars, Podcasts & Videos

Hear from leaders at the Destination Medical Center and Mayo Clinic Business Development in Rochester about why they feel Minnesota is filled with opportunities for founders and why investors should consider the power of startups in Minnesota.

Business Benefits In Minnesota, a Mayo Clinic Business Development and Destination Medical Center Perspective

Hear from leaders at the Destination Medical Center and Mayo Clinic Business Development in Rochester about why they feel Minnesota is filled with opportunities for founders and why investors should consider the power of startups in Minnesota.

Agricultural Heritage Meets Strong Manufacturing Base With a rich history in agriculture, the region is now made up of a strong manufacturing base, including everything from snack foods and Gatorade, to leading human resources software and revolutionary plug-less power systems for electric vehicles. Mount Rogers Regional Partnership's strategic East Coast location is the driving force.

Virginia’s i81-i77 Crossroads | Talent Retention & Manufacturing

Learn about manufacturing jobs and facilities in the Mount Rogers region of southwest Virginia. There is ample opportunity for education and jobs in a region rich with culture and heritage.

See what leaders at Polar Semiconductor believe are the key benefits of doing business in Minnesota.

Business Benefits In Minnesota, a Polar Semiconductor Perspective

Minnesota is a place where the stars align — geography, culture and institutions – to create an unmatched economic landscape. See what leaders at Polar Semiconductor believe are the key benefits of doing business in Minnesota.

Share to...