SEMCORP Advanced Materials Group, the world’s largest producer of Lithium‐Ion battery separator products, has chosen Sidney in Ohio as the location for its $916 million manufacturing plant.
The new 850,000-square-foot facility will produce separator film, a crucial component in batteries for electric vehicles (EVs), and bring nearly 1,200 jobs with around $73 million in payroll.
“The Sidney facility is one of the biggest investments in our company’s history because we know the United States is strongly committed to building the supply chains for EVs and energy storage here at home,” said Paul Lee, the Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO of SEMCORP. “Our Sidney site will be America’s largest manufacturer of separator film for EV batteries. We look forward to working hand-in-hand with state and local leaders to make the large-scale domestic production of this component a reality.”
According to the Shanghai-headquartered company, they selected the Sidney location because of Ohio’s impressive commitment to vocational education, the strong work ethics in the state, the proximity to key customers, and the preparedness for a massive project like SEMCORP’s.
“We’re thrilled to call Sidney home, and we’re going to do all that we can to earn the trust of the local community,” said James Shih, SEMCORP’s Group Vice President of Global Projects.
SEMCORP ensures they will not make batteries and will not operate any lithium mining at the site as there are also no lithium deposits in Ohio. James Shih confirmed that their company would run the Sidney facility in compliance with all the required environmental and safety standards.
The construction of the $916 million manufacturing plant is also expected to expand Ohio’s electric vehicle supply chain. Dayton Development Coalition (DDC) President and CEO Jeff Hoagland said they are thrilled to welcome SEMCORP to the region.
“Their decision to manufacture in Sidney advances Ohio’s efforts to develop a robust ecosystem for electric vehicles,” Hoagland stated. “The fast-growing market for electric automobiles and aircraft represents an incredible opportunity for the Dayton region to remain competitive in the changing manufacturing economy and provide opportunities for our skilled manufacturing workforce.”
SEMCORP’s new facility will be built at the Sidney Ohio Industrial Park at Millcreek and Kuther roads. The company did not provide any timeline yet for the construction.
