Boston-Power Picks Auburn For Expansion
Lithium-ion battery maker Boston-Power Inc. announced today it plans to build a 455,000-square-foot building in Auburn that will employ 600 workers, according to company officials.
The new facility will be a manufacturing plant for the Westborough-based company's lithium-ion technology for plug-in hybrid and electric battery vehicles. Boston Power landed a big agreement with Hewlett Packard to produce batteries for their laptops.
A noontime ceremony to mark the announcement was expected to be held today at 26 Milbury St. in Auburn, where the facility will be located, with Gov. Deval Patrick, Rep. James McGovern, D-Worcester, Boston-Power CEO and founder Christina Lampe-Onnerud and many other state officials, politicians and business leaders in attendance.
After the ceremony, the company will provide a first look at its "Swing" product, a battery for hybrid and electric battery vehicles.
"Our goal is to make Massachusetts a manufacturing hub for the advanced batteries that will power the nation's clean energy future, and Boston-Power's plan to create this facility in Auburn is a big step toward that goal. We look forward to working with the company and our colleagues in the Congressional delegation to make this happen," said Patrick in a prepared statement.
Boston Power also announced today that it is pursuing $100 million from the U.S. Department of Energy's advanced battery and cell manufacturing grant program, which is part of the nation's stimulus package. It is also pursuing money under the Defense Production Act, which encourages the building of manufacturing facilities in the United States for national security reasons. On top of that, the state is offering $9 million in matching financing to build the Auburn factory.
Lampe-Onnerud said the company considered many locations around the country and the world before choosing to build in Auburn.
WBJ Web Partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments