(Left to right): Dennis Flaherty, Charles Demirjian, Kara Demirjian Huss, Governor J.B. Pritzker, and TCCI President Richard Demirjian stand in front of the new electric compressor manufacturing line in Decatur, Illinois. (Photo: TCCI Manufacturing)
The company will begin producing made-in-America EV compressors at its state-of-the-art Clean Energy Innovation Hub in Illinois.
DECATUR, Ill.—TCCI Manufacturing recently hosted the grand opening of its Clean Energy Innovation Hub in Decatur, unveiling a 260,000-square-foot facility that includes an electric vehicle (EV) compressor production line.
The new state-of-the-art hub is a $45 million public-private partnership designed to support the advancement of sustainable mobility. At the same time, it is intended to strengthen the North American supply chain by onshoring critical electric vehicle component manufacturing, according to a release from TCCI Manufacturing.
The company manufactures mechanical and electrical compressor technology for commercial, heavy-duty vehicle, and automotive specialty markets. It also makes next generation thermal management products.
“Our opening marks a pivotal step forward in Illinois’ clean energy leadership and reflects the power of collaboration in building a more sustainable and inclusive economy,” said TCCI president Richard Demirjian, in a statement. “We’re proud to be onshoring critical thermal management technology development to the United States, while supporting workforce development, and building a global hub for research and innovation.”
The EV compressor production facility will serve as the foundation of the three-tiered innovation hub. At press time, it was scheduled to begin producing made-in-America EV compressors for customers in the coming weeks, the release stated.
“The Clean Energy Innovation Hub represents the kind of bold, future-focused investment that will define the next era of American manufacturing,” said Mark Denzler, president and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. “By reshoring critical EV component production and launching a dedicated workforce academy, TCCI and its partners are not only reinforcing Illinois’s leadership in clean energy—they’re setting a national standard for how industry, education, and government can come together to drive innovation, sustainability, and economic growth.”
The facility also includes the Clean Energy Workforce Academy, a collaborative initiative with universities and community colleges offering students an immersive learning experience; and a Climatic Center for Innovation & Research, described as a “cutting-edge research and development facility with robust climatic testing capabilities.”
The Clean Energy Workforce Academy will begin in the fall with Richland Community College within TCCI’s facility—a first-of-its-kind clean energy education model. TCCI’s Climatic Center for Innovation & Research (CCIR), scheduled to open in 2026, is expected to be among the most advanced facilities in the country dedicated to next-generation thermal management systems and natural refrigerant technologies for EVs.
At the company’s grand opening event, TCCI hosted an Illinois Clean Energy Leadership Roundtable with Governor J.B. Pritzker. Moderated by Mark Denzler, president and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, the convening brought together executive leaders from industry, government, academia, and workforce development to discuss Illinois’s clean energy future.
The group addressed key priorities, including industrial decarbonization, supply chain resilience, workforce development for the clean energy transition, and public-private partnerships to scale clean energy innovation.
“From workforce development to innovation to manufacturing expansion, we are building an engine of opportunity. That starts with strategic projects like the Clean Energy Innovation Hub,” said Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, in a statement. “This has been years in the making, and it took collaboration to get here—collaboration between a company committed to Illinois, a state government and General Assembly committed to building an ecosystem for innovation to thrive, city government partners that understand what job growth means for its residents, and higher education that produces the highest quality workforce in the nation. Illinois is turning the page to grow good jobs, a cleaner environment, and stronger communities.”
In partnership with Richland Community College, TCCI is launching the Clean Energy Workforce Academy to expand educational opportunities and to address workforce shortages in the EV and clean energy sectors. The scalable program aligns statewide higher education resources to train and reskill Illinois’s workforce through a co-developed curriculum focused on computer science, engineering, and advanced technology.
Students will gain hands-on training in natural refrigerants, sustainable HVAC solutions, and clean energy systems, along with direct experience in refrigerant system validation. The initiative also strengthens career pathways for high school students, associate degrees, and industry certifications, ensuring a highly skilled workforce to help Illinois meet its ambitious clean energy goals.
As part of the grand opening celebration, Illinois EPA Director James Jennings announced a $650,000 matching grant to support the expansion of TCCI’s Climatic Center for Innovation & Research, developed in partnership with Richland Community College. Set to open in spring 2026, the CCIR will serve as one of the nation’s most advanced facilities for testing and validating natural refrigerant technologies and sustainable thermal management systems.
“This new investment will enable expanded capabilities for real-world HVAC and thermal system simulations, customized testing for compliance with evolving energy standards, and accelerated development of next-generation clean technologies,” the release stated.
The CCIR will also serve as a training ground for students and professionals entering the clean energy workforce—further cementing Illinois’s status as a leader in sustainable manufacturing and applied research, according to the release.
“This investment reflects our shared commitment to building a more sustainable, resilient, and competitive manufacturing economy in Illinois,” said Jennings. “By advancing natural refrigerant research and workforce development, we’re reducing emissions, accelerating decarbonization, and paving the way for Illinois to lead the nation in clean energy innovation.”
Separate from the EPA grant, the CCIR will also feature one of the only publicly available EPA-certified, three-axle, 2,200-total horsepower electric chassis dynamometers in the country. The dynamometer will support advanced testing for emissions compliance, energy efficiency, and performance validation of next-generation commercial and heavy-duty vehicles, the release stated.