Piedmont Lithium officials announced Thursday that the company would invest $582 million to establish a lithium hydroxide processing, refining, and manufacturing facility in Etowah.
The new facility will be located at the North Etowah Industrial Park, creating 117 new jobs in McMinn County. According to the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD), the facility will be America’s largest “lithium hydroxide processing” facility.
.@PiedmontLithium will invest nearly $600M to establish manufacturing operations in Southeast Tennessee.
Thanks to Piedmont, McMinn County will see the creation of 100+ new jobs as the company locates on a Select Tennessee Certified Site in Etowah. https://t.co/nNWyk7tQFT pic.twitter.com/yUuiJDKkev
— TNECD (@TNECD) September 1, 2022
“We are excited to announce the site of our newest project and partnership with the City of Etowah, McMinn County and the State of Tennessee as we advance our strategic goal of becoming a leading lithium supplier to the U.S. We are humbled by the warm welcome we have received from our new partners, and we look forward to making Piedmont an integral part of the Etowah and McMinn County communities as we develop Tennessee Lithium together for our mutual success,” Keith Phillips, CEO and president of Piedmont Lithium, said in a statement.
Piedmont is a battery-grade lithium hydroxide producer. Lithium hydroxide is a critical component in the supply chain for electric vehicle and battery storage markets.
“Piedmont’s Tennessee Lithium project will support energy security in the U.S. and the transition to a clean energy economy in North America,” according to a TNECD press release.
The company’s new plant in Etowah will utilize “more environmentally responsible and economic processing technology, supporting Piedmont’s objective of becoming a large, low-cost, sustainable producer of lithium products,” TNECD notes.
The company’s Etowah plant will produce 30,000 metric tons of battery-grade lithium annually.
Yesterday was a big day in McMinn County. 👏 @PiedmontLithium announced that it will build the nation's largest lithium hydroxide processing facility in Etowah, which will produce 30,000 metric tons of much-needed battery grade lithium per year. #MasteredinTN pic.twitter.com/dda6QDh5Ki
— TNECD (@TNECD) September 2, 2022
“Companies like Piedmont choose to call Tennessee home because of our unmatched workforce and strong business climate,” Tennessee Governor Bill Lee said in a statement. “I thank this company for its investment in McMinn County and commitment to create nearly 120 manufacturing jobs for Tennesseans.”
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Photo “Piedmont Lithium Announcement” by TNECD.
