“If we want to reduce our dependence on oil, put Americans back to work and reassert our manufacturing sector as one of the greatest in the world, we must produce the advanced, efficient vehicles of the future.” – President Obama

Recipients of $49 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, the hybrid and EV battery systems supplier  has announced that it plans to expand capacity at its existing Charlotte, North Carolina facility and build a new manufacturing site in Concord, North Carolina.

The federal grant money comes from President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which saw roughly $2.4 billion dollars go to the development and production of advanced battery systems throughout the country. Celgard will use the funds to implement its  separator capacity expansion in two phases. In the first phase, Celgard will add capacity at its existing Charlotte, North Carolina facility. In the second phase, Celgard plans to build the aforementioned facility in Concord. Expansion of the Charlotte facility will start immediately. Construction of the new facility in Concord is expected to begin the second half of this year.

“We are thankful for the support we have received from the U.S. Department of Energy, the North Carolina congressional delegation, and the state and local governments. We look forward to championing federal and local efforts to promote a greener economy,” said Mitch Pulwer, Vice President and General Manager of Celgard. “This funding enables us to accelerate our investments in production capacity and create jobs here in North Carolina as we prepare to meet the increasing demand of the Electric Drive Vehicle market.”

The two projects are expected to add about 200 new jobs to the advanced battery sector.

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