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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowA Michigan-based supplier of a key component for the production of lithium-ion batteries will build a $75 million facility in Kokomo to provide high purity electrolyte for the Stellantis-Samsung SDI electric vehicle battery plant.
Soulbrain MI, a subsidiary of South Korea-based Soulbrain Holdings, announced Tuesday it will hire 75 employees for the 30,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Kokomo by 2025.
Soulbrain plans to break ground on the plant in March and begin hiring engineers and technicians in 2024.
The plant will provide high purity electrolyte for the production of electric vehicle batteries at Stellantis-Samsung SDI, which is building a $2.5 billion EV battery production facility in Kokomo that is expected to employ 1,400 workers. Liquid electrolytes are used in EV batteries to allow the flow of lithium ions, extend battery life and improve cell performance.
Soulbrain has been involved in advancing the research, development and production of electrolyte for the advanced lithium-ion battery industry for 10 years, supplying manufacturers such as LG, SK and Samsung SDI.
“This additional development shows that Kokomo and Howard County are at the forefront of the emerging EV industry,” Kokomo Mayor Tyler Moore said in written remarks. “I am confident that our talented local workforce will be poised to fill these positions and help Soulbrain MI succeed.”
The Indiana Economic Development Corp. has offered Soulbrain up to $1.1 million in incentive-based tax credits and up to $100,000 in training grants if the company meets its job-creation goals. The city of Kokomo will consider additional incentives, and Duke Energy offered additional incentives.
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