Battery Manufacturer Bets Big on Brownfield Site in Buffalo, New York

Revitalizing an impoverished neighborhood was a business decision, not altruism, says the leadership at Viridi, a company making power storage systems for industrial applications.

Sept. 17, 2025

The story of green energy company Viridi has it all. Game-changing automation, reshored supply chain, and an ESG angle unique to anything I’ve seen at IndustryWeek.

Viridi CEO Jon Williams hails from Niagara Falls, NY, about 20 minutes outside Buffalo. Within East Buffalo, a community burdened with severe economic inequality, lay an old General Motors plant that Williams purchased and rehabilitated to host Viridi’s automated battery production lines.

He also co-founded GreenForce, a workforce program designed specifically to serve the needs of the local population and give people the skills and support they need to thrive on the shop floor.

For our third episode of Smart Manufacturers I visited the Viridi plant, toured East Buffalo, and spoke with Williams and Jeff Conrad, the executive director of Green Force. It’s a story unlike any I’ve chased here at IndustryWeek and an honor to share with you.

— Dennis Scimeca