Berkeley likely to get new plant
The federal government's effort to put more electric cars on the road by 2015 is expected to drive 60 jobs and a $70 million investment to Berkeley County.
Toda America Inc., an Illinois-based subsidiary of a Japanese company, was awarded a $35 million federal grant to make battery components, the U.S. Department of Energy announced Wednesday.
The money would help fund a $70 million manufacturing plant to be built in the Charleston area. The Energy Department identified the site only as being in Goose Creek.
The factory would make cathode material for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries — the same kind that help power the popular Toyota Prius hybrid car.
The plant would be capable of producing 3,800 tons of materials a year, or enough to supply either 450,000 hybrid electric vehicles or 125,000 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, the Energy Department said.
Toda America was among several dozen businesses awarded grants totaling $2.4 billion as part of an effort by President Obama to kick-start the economy by creating manufacturing jobs in the electric-car industry. He traveled to Indiana on Wednesday to promote a "made in America" theme.
The grant money is part of the stimulus funds already approved by Congress.
The major recipients include:
--Johnson Controls Inc., of Milwaukee, $299 million to build battery packs and cells for hybrid vehicles at a facility in Holland, Mich.
--General Motors Co., $241 million to produce battery packs and develop electric drive vehicles in Michigan and Maryland.
--Ford Motor Co., $92.7 million for electric drive components at plants in Michigan and Missouri.
Schaumburg, Ill.-based Toda America said last month it was evaluating sites in South Carolina and Michigan for a manufacturing plant to take part in the president's electric-car push.
"The objective is to be shovel-ready, contingent upon winning a Department of Energy grant. ... Toda intends to be a catalyst for the development of the U.S. lithium-ion battery industry," the company said in a statement July 13.
Jun Nakano, president of Toda America, added in the same statement: "Having a local supply base is a key step in the development of a sustainable electric drive vehicle market in the United States."
David Han, a Michigan consultant who worked with Toda America on its grant application, declined to provide details about the Goose Creek plant, including when it will open or its exact location.
Han said he was caught off guard by the government's announcement and that it would be premature to comment on the company's plans.
But Han recently told The Greenville News that the factory will cost $70 million and create 60 jobs. The company could later expand to add a research and development arm, creating another 15 to 25 jobs.
He also said that the company wanted port access in case it decided to ship its battery materials to Europe.
Goose Creek and Berkeley County officials contacted Wednesday said they were unaware of Toda America's plans for the area.
The company is the U.S. subsidiary of Japan's Toda Kogyo Corp.
Some of the electric-car stimulus money will find its way to other parts of South Carolina. Celgard LLC, which like Toda America makes materials for lithium-ion batteries, was awarded $49.2 million. Some of that will help the company open a plant in Aiken.
Also, Kemet Corp. in Simpsonville said that the $15.1 million it will receive to make electronic capacitors will create 110 jobs in South Carolina.
The Energy Department said its goal is to have 70 percent of the allocated grant money spent by the end of September 2010.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. Reach Katy Stech at 937-5549 or kstech@postandcourier.com. Reach John McDermott at 937-5572 or jmcdermott@postandcourier.com.
