Mitra Chem awarded $125M to build battery material manufacturing facility in Michigan
Mitra Chem has announced that it will receive up to $125 million in awards from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains and the state of Michigan's Competitiveness Fund. The company, which specializes in battery materials, will use the funding to establish a battery material manufacturing facility in Muskegon, Michigan. According to the company, the new production plant will be the first mass production facility for lithium iron phosphate cathodes in North America. To help accomplish this, Mitra Chem is launching the American Production of Lithium Iron Phosphate and Future Innovation (AmPLIFI) project, which is designed to help build a robust domestic electric vehicle battery supply chain. Mitra Chem will partner with Sun Chemical on the project, which is expected to generate hundreds of skilled jobs for the surrounding area.
What people are saying
In a recent quote, Mitra Chem CEO Vivas Kumar said, "This award selection represents a pivotal moment for the entire U.S. battery industry. By bringing advanced battery production to American soil we're securing our energy future and positioning the U.S. at the forefront of the global electric vehicle revolution. The support from the DOE and Michigan, and our collaboration with Sun Chemical, will accelerate Mitra's mission to revolutionize next generation battery production."
Russell Schwartz, CTO of Sun Chemical, added, "The partnership between Mitra Chem and Sun Chemical brings together expertise in advanced materials and large-scale chemical manufacturing. By combining Mitra Chem's cutting-edge battery technology with a century of manufacturing experience, we're setting a new standard for innovation in cathode active materials for electrical storage. This project will demonstrate the power of American ingenuity and industrial might."
Manufacturers investing in Michigan
Stellantis invests $406M to upgrade 3 Michigan plants to manufacture electric vehicles
Stellantis hopes this investment will improve its competitive advantages across a wide variety of electrification adoption scenarios.
Barron Industries invests $9.1 million to expand operations in Michigan and aid the defense / aerospace industry
Barron Industries plans to build a new Advanced Aerospace Manufacturing Center, as well as obtain new advanced metal 3D printing and machining equipment.
Uniform Color Company invests $12 million to expand operations in Michigan
Uniform Color’s 25,000-square-foot expansion will allow the company to add new machinery and equipment to its facility.
DOE in the news
47 small/medium manufacturers to receive $9M to implement energy and efficiency projects across the U.S.
Each manufacturer will receive up to $300,000 to make DOE-recommended improvements.
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The funding will be used to maximize the environmental benefit of solar energy technologies.
U.S. government invests $63 million to advance battery recycling and smart manufacturing
The program will be administered by the DOE’s Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC).
Investing in American manufacturing in 2024
This map shows where manufacturers are choosing to invest their resources, whether they are building new production facilities or expanding existing plants.
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
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