The U.S. Energy Department announced Friday that Michigan was just one of 14 states receiving more than $3 billion for 25 projects, all designed to boost domestic production of batteries and battery materials to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers.
In Muskegon, Mountain View, California-based Mitra Chem will receive $100 million to launch the American Production of Lithium Iron Phosphate and Future Innovation project, also known as AmPLIFI.
This funding, along with an additional $25 million from the state of Michigan, will go toward Mitra Chem partnering with Sun Chemical to build a battery material manufacturing facility in Muskegon. The site will be the first mass production facility for lithium iron phosphate cathodes in North America and will utilize an existing plant.
The AmPLIFI project will supply battery material for more than 300,000 electric vehicles a year and is expected to create 625 construction jobs and over 150 permanent skilled labor jobs in Muskegon.
