Mitra Chem awarded $125M to build battery material manufacturing facility in Michigan 

Mitra Chem awarded $125M to build battery material manufacturing facility in Michigan 

Sept. 24, 2024
The new production plant will be the first mass production facility for lithium iron phosphate cathodes in North America.

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.

U.S. invests $40M to strengthen the solar energy supply chain  
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 Gajewski | Senior Content Strategist

Alexis Gajewski has over 15 years of experience in the maintenance, reliability, operations, and manufacturing space. She joined Plant Services in 2008 and works to bring readers the news, insight, and information they need to make the right decisions for their plants. Alexis also authors “The Lighter Side of Manufacturing,” a blog that highlights the fun and innovative advances in the industrial sector. 

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