Clarios International Inc. is investing about $16 million to expand its operations in South Carolina with new infrastructure and molding and assembly equipment to increase production of electric vehicle battery components.
The 9,000-square-foot expansion will create 12 new jobs in the area, a May 23 news release said. Operations in the expanded space are expected to begin in January 2025.
"The components we make at this facility are critical to supporting the future of transportation, and our decision to expand production here, speaks to the high quality of this workforce," Gerardo Gonzelez-Aleu, president of U.S. and Canada for Clarios, said in the release.
Clarios' new molding equipment will feature a two-component molding process using thermoplastic elastomers and polypropylene in a transfer mold, Kristine Sherman, director of communications for the U.S. and Canada at Clarios, told Plastics News in an emailed statement.
"The assembly process is unique to this product and will feed three components, assemble, then … test function," Sherman added.
The facility, in Columbia, S.C., produces components for absorbent glass mat batteries for automotive technology.
"Every vehicle, including hybrid and fully electric models, requires a reliable low-voltage energy source to power essential systems and functions, a growing array of new technologies, and enhanced in-cabin experiences," the release said.
Glendale, Wis.-based, Clarios has 16 U.S. operations out of more than 50 facilities worldwide and about16,000 employees. The company was formerly part of Johnson Controls Inc.