Epsilon Advanced Materials (EAM) plans to build a $650 million graphite anode manufacturing facility in Brunswick County, N.C. When operational, the facility will use green technologies to produce high-capacity anode materials for electric vehicle batteries. (Photo: Business Wire)
The company plans to break ground in 2024 and begin operations in 2026.
BOLIVIA, N.C.—Battery materials company Epsilon Advanced Materials (EAM) is planning to build a $650 million graphite anode manufacturing facility in Brunswick County, North Carolina, the company said in a release.
The facility is said to represent the first and largest investment by an Indian company in the U.S. electric vehicle (EV) battery industry. Epsilon Advanced Materials made the announcement alongside North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper at Brunswick County Community College.
“We’re proud to have North Carolina at the focal point of our U.S. manufacturing strategy,” said EAM Managing Director Vikram Handa, in a statement. “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.”
Governor Cooper said North Carolina welcomes EAM and the development of its new 1.5 million-square-foot facility, which 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.”
The company plans to break ground in 2024 and begin manufacturing in 2026, reaching full capacity by 2031. When operational, the facility will use green technologies to produce high-capacity anode materials for EV batteries, Epsilon said in the release.
“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, in a statement. “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.”
According to EAM, establishing a manufacturing plant in Brunswick County, North Carolina, offers strategic advantages, such as 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, while geographic features offer resilience and sustainability, the company said.
Localizing the battery manufacturing ecosystem will not only provide strategic advantages, but also aligns with the broader goal of helping automakers leverage EV subsidies under the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). 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, EAM said in the release.
Epsilon Advanced Materials, a wholly owned subsidiary of Epsilon Carbon Pvt Ltd., is already in discussions with local raw material suppliers and transportation partners for its North Carolina operations. When fully operational, the EAM facility will produce 50,000 tons per annum (TPA) of graphite anode, the company said.