Sunlight Batteries USA Inc., a manufacturer of lithium-ion and other high-performance batteries, will invest $40 million to expand its North Carolina operations into Alamance County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will create more than 130 jobs in its new facility in Mebane.

"Demand is growing for clean energy components like batteries, and North Carolina is at the forefront of this industry of the future,” said Governor Cooper. “Companies like Sunlight Batteries are bringing new jobs and new investment to Alamance County, thanks to North Carolina’s commitment to clean energy and innovation.”

Sunlight Batteries USA is a subsidiary of the Sunlight Group, a world-leading technology company headquartered in Athens, Greece. Sunlight develops innovative energy storage solutions focusing on developing and producing lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries for industrial applications. Sunlight Batteries operates a production facility in Greensboro with the forthcoming facility in Mebane to manufacture and assemble lithium-ion batteries using robot-assisted systems, along with product storage and distribution space.

“Sunlight’s expansion in Mebane is yet another milestone in our growth plan for the U.S. market,” said Todd Sechrist, CEO of Sunlight Batteries USA. “The 134,000-square-feet facility will create over 130 new jobs in Alamance County and will serve the region by bringing lithium-ion batteries and battery charging solutions to the Americas market. We appreciate the confidence the state of North Carolina and the community has in Sunlight as a partner in the green economy and decarbonized energy.”

Sunlight’s new Mebane facility will create jobs for high-tech and highly trained staff including sales, marketing, operations, assembly, warehousing, engineering, and customer service. Wages for the new jobs will vary depending on the position. The average salary will be $67,589 – well above the current average wage in Alamance County of $46,999. The state and local areas will see an additional impact of more than $8.5 million each year from the new payroll.

"The clean energy economy offers great opportunities for all North Carolinians,” said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “Our First in Talent strategic plan recognizes the importance of training our workers for these 21st Century jobs. Companies like Sunlight Batteries know they can depend on the strength and ingenuity of the North Carolina workforce.”

Sunlight Batteries’ project in North Carolina will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the state's Economic Investment Committee earlier today. Over 12 years, the project is estimated to grow the state's economy by $390.7 million. Using a formula that considers tax revenues generated by the 133 new jobs, the agreement authorizes the potential reimbursement to the company of up to $1,224,900 spread over 12 years. Payments for all JDIGs only occur following performance verification by the departments of Commerce and Revenue that the company has met its incremental job creation and investment targets. JDIG projects result in positive net tax revenue to the state treasury, even after considering grant reimbursement payments to a given company.

Because Sunlight Batteries chose a site in Alamance County, classified by the state’s economic tier system as Tier 2, the company’s JDIG agreement also calls for moving $136,100 into the state’s Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account. The Utility Account helps rural communities across the state finance necessary infrastructure upgrades to attract future business.

“We welcome Sunlight Batteries and its new facility to Mebane and Alamance County,” said N.C. Senator Amy Galey. “We’re proud that this company’s confidence in our community results in new jobs and prosperity to the people of our region.”

“Many people worked hard behind the scenes to make this day possible,” said N.C. Representative Ricky Hurtado. “We’re delighted that Sunlight Batteries has chosen to expand in our state and it’s great that Alamance County and Mebane are seeing the benefits of North Carolina’s growing clean energy economy.”

In addition to the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of N.C., other key partners on this project were the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, and the Alamance Chamber.

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Sunlight Group, with 30+ years of experience in energy storage, is one of the leading companies in the global production of lead-acid and lithium-ion industrial batteries and energy storage systems. Sunlight supplies the international market with innovative products manufactured and assembled in its state-of-the-art facilities in Greece, Italy, and the USA and distributed to more than 115 countries via its sales & support offices and authorized partners’ network.

With a specialized team of scientists, two R&D centers, and years of experience in lithium-ion innovation, Sunlight Group invests in the sustainable development of the global energy storage sector. The company combines the circular economy business model with its technology-agnostic approach and data-driven insights to develop more environmentally friendly storage solutions for the industrial mobility, leisure mobility, and ESS sectors. Solutions that will render sustainable energy more accessible and reliable.