Emerging global leader in electric-vehicle manufacturing invests in Brunswick County
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North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper was in Brunswick County Thursday afternoon with "electrifying news."
An India-based company plans to bring an electric vehicle battery plant to Brunswick County, which will amount to hundreds of jobs with an investment of more than $600 million.
Epsilon Advanced Materials, Brunswick County officials and Cooper made the announcement Thursday during a news conference at Brunswick Community College.
The $650 million, 1.5 million square feet graphite manufacturing facility is scheduled to break ground in 2024 and begin operations in 2026, eventually bringing around 500 jobs to Brunswick County. Cooper described Epsilon as a global battery materials company.
Cooper said analysts predict this project alone will lift North Carolina's economy by $1.3 billion over the next 12 years. Cooper added this project puts North Carolina "on the front end" of the clean energy industry and will allow the state to "reap the amazing economic benefits" of the movement.
According to a news release from the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, the new facility will be located at Mid-Atlantic Industrial Rail Park, on the border of Brunswick and Columbus counties along U.S. 74 and will be able to support two companies producing EV batteries.
Although wages will vary depending on the position, the average salary for the new positions will be $52,264. The current average wage in Brunswick County is $46,464.
Cooper said this will be Epsilon's first manufacturing facility in the United States. Brunswick County's available workforce, work environment, and industry-ready and power-ready site made it the most attractive of the more than 100 sites Epsilon considered, according to the company's founder and managing director Vikram Handa.
Handa said this project marks the first and largest investment by an Indian company in the United States' electric-vehicle market, which is expected to power more than 1 million electric vehicles by 2030.
Handa added the county's proximity to Wilmington's port also contributed to the company's choice to bring this project to Southeastern North Carolina. Handa said the company will be recruiting from Brunswick County's workforce.
"Our people in North Carolina are hardworking, they're dedicated, they're well-trained and they are ready to go to work," Cooper said. "They are diverse, and companies are looking for diverse workforces. Our diversity in North Carolina is our strength."
Cooper added that in order to foster that workforce, the state must invest in education "from cradle to career" -- which is where Brunswick Community College will play an active role in training workforce-ready students in connection with Epsilon.
"What a great day for North Carolina and Brunswick County," said Gene Smith, president of Brunswick Community College.
Cooper and Handa added this project is a testament to the "strong" trade relationship between the United States and India.
Randy Thompson, chairman of the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners, said the county has worked to pursue economic development opportunities like this one to keep up the momentum of the growing county.
The jobs will significantly benefit the local economy, Thompson said, providing "more opportunities for county residents and our region to thrive."
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According to Machelle Baker Sanders, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Commerce, more than new 700 jobs and over $63 million in investments have been announced in Brunswick County since 2017.
Headquartered in Mumbai, India, the company supplies materials to power electric vehicles. According to its website, Epsilon Advanced Materials produces high-quality battery materials, harnessing the potential of waste to create innovative solutions. This approach reduces fuel consumption and supports the shift to cleaner technologies.
Jamey Cross covers Brunswick County for the StarNews. Reach her at jbcross@gannett.com or message her on Twitter/X @jameybcross.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Epsilon Advanced Materials to build EV battery plant in Brunswick NC
