BASF Electric Battery Production Plant in Ohio

Expansion Management

BASF Opens Electric Car Battery Materials Production Plant in Ohio

Nov. 28, 2012

The plant received money from the Department of Energy to partly fund construction.

Earlier this month BASF (IW 1000/33) celebrated the grand opening of its new cathode materials production plant in Elyria, Ohio. The materials manufactured at the Elyria plant will be used to produce advanced lithium-ion batteries for next-generation hybrid and full electric vehicles.

Construction of the new cathode materials plant required an investment of more than $50 million, half of which was supported by a grant from the U.S DOE.

“BASF is helping make Ohio the Silicon Valley for clean energy manufacturing. As our reliance on foreign sources of energy grows more and more unsustainable, American consumers will turn to hybrid and fully-electric vehicles – powered by lithium-ion battery materials made by BASF,” said Senator Sherrod Brown.

Brown helped secure a $24.6 million grant from the Department of Energy (DOE) under the Recovery Act’s Electric Drive Vehicle Battery and Component Manufacturing Initiative to partly fund construction of the facility.

The new four-story, 70,000 square foot cathode materials plant in Elyria leverages state-of-the-art production technologies, and is expected to create approximately 25 new jobs in Elyria

In addition, BASF was selected as one of only two licensed suppliers of ANL-patented Nickel-Cobalt-Manganese (NCM) cathode materials, which employ a unique combination of lithium and manganese-rich mixed metal oxides. The materials being produced in Elyria leverage this advanced NCM chemistry, which is particularly well suited to the production of lithium-ion batteries for automotive and other high-end applications.

“We are delighted to celebrate the launch of this new commercial-scale production plant, which highlights the strong alliance BASF has established with the U.S. Department of Energy and the state of Ohio to deliver advanced battery materials that can provide higher energy density and greater power,” said Frank Bozich, president of BASF’s Catalysts Division.

About the Author

Adrienne Selko | Senior Editor

Focus: Workforce, Talent

Follow Me on Twitter: @ASelkoIW

Bio: Adrienne Selko has written about many topics over the 17 years she has been with the publication and currently focuses on workforce development strategies. Previously Adrienne was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck? which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics and EHS Today.

Editorial mission statement: Manufacturing is the enviable position of creating products, processes and policies that solve the world’s problems. When the industry stepped up to manufacture what was necessary to combat the pandemic, it revealed its true nature. My goal is to showcase the sector’s ability to address a broad range of workforce issues including technology, training, diversity & inclusion, with a goal of enticing future generations to join this amazing sector.

Why I find manufacturing interesting: On my first day working for a company that made medical equipment such as MRIs, I toured the plant floor. On every wall was a photo of a person, mostly children. I asked my supervisor why this was the case and he said that the work we do at this company has saved these people’s lives. “We never forget how important our work is and everyone’s contribution to that.” From that moment on I was hooked on manufacturing.

I have talked with many people in this field who have transformed their own career development to assist others. For example, companies are hiring those with disabilities, those previously incarcerated and other talent pools that have been underutilized. I have talked with leaders who have brought out the best in their workforce, as well as employees doing their best work while doing good for the world.