Epsilon Advanced Materials (EAM) will invest US$650 in a new manufacturing facility for graphite anode in Brunswick County, North Carolina. EAM, India’s leading battery materials company, made this announcement alongside N.C. Governor Roy Cooper at Brunswick County Community College. The facility is the first and largest Indian investment in the U.S. electric vehicle (EV) battery industry.

“We’re proud to have North Carolina at the focal point of our U.S. manufacturing strategy. With its favorable geographical location, business supportive policies and availability of a skilled talent pool, we are confident that the investment in the state is a major step towards creating sustainable energy transportation alternatives,” said EAM Managing Director Vikram Handa.

Gov. Cooper said North Carolina welcomes EAM and the development of its new 1.5 million-square-foot facility. Specifically, it is expected to create approximately 500 new jobs for the Greater Wilmington area. “North Carolina continues to lead the way in the transition to a clean energy economy by attracting good-paying jobs from great companies like Epsilon that make our state stronger and healthier,” said Governor Cooper. “This historic investment will bring 500 clean energy jobs to Brunswick County, helping both our economy and our environment.”

“Having an environmentally friendly world-class facility in North Carolina resolves supply chain concerns that the automotive industry has experienced in recent years,” said EAM CEO Sunit Kapur. “We are proud that with our tech capability to manufacture both natural and synthetic graphite, we will be able to provide graphite anodes to the growing EV battery industry faster, more reliably, and at a competitive cost without import challenges.”

Mainly, the company plans to break ground in 2024 and begin manufacturing in 2026, reaching full capacity by 2031. When operational, the facility will utilize green technologies to produce high-capacity anode materials for EV batteries.

Establishing a manufacturing plant in Brunswick County, North Carolina, offers strategic advantages. Among them are proximity to the Wilmington port, automotive suppliers, Southeastern vehicle manufacturing facilities, and the local community college. The location also streamlines logistics, reduces costs, and provides access to the growing electric vehicle market. The skilled local workforce, with support from the community college, and potential economic incentives, enhance the business environment. Meanwhile, the geographic features offer resilience and sustainability.

Mainly, localizing the battery manufacturing ecosystem will provide strategic advantages. Also, it will align with the broader goal of helping automakers leverage EV subsidies under the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Additionally, this localization will boost domestic manufacturing, creating good-paying jobs and fostering economic growth within the community.

These efforts will contribute to building more resilient, secure, and trusted supply chains, which are essential for the sustainability and competitiveness of the EV industry in the United States.