6K Energy, which produces an advanced plasma cathode system, announced Tuesday it will open a plant in Jackson, creating 230 new jobs in Madison County with an investment of over $200 million.

Gov. Bill Le and Stuart McWhorter, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner, praised the investment this week, which will include the establishment of a full-scale PlusCAM™ battery material manufacturing plant in Jackson.

The investment represents the third largest investment for any industrial company in Jackson.

Once completed, the 120,000 square foot facility will be located on James Lawrence Road in Madison County’s Airport Industrial Park. The plant will sit on 50 acres west of the city and is conveniently located near both Interstate 40 and state Highway 223, which are all critical to ensure an efficient and effective supply chain.

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Founded in 2014 and headquartered in North Andover, Massachusetts, 6K uses microwave plasma technology to develop advanced materials for industries, including electric vehicle manufacturing, renewable energy, aerospace and consumer electronics.

The company will support the most advanced production plasma system in the world, featuring the world’s first UniMelt® plasma cathode plant, providing low cost, ultra-sustainable production of battery material for localized supply chains in the U.S.

"Jackson's location, workforce strengths and experience in economic development are all reasons companies, new and existing, continue to invest in our community," Greater Jackson Chamber President/CEO Kyle Spurgeon said.

6K Energy will invest $166 million in the plant for construction and equipment, expanding to $250 million in future phases. The company will also use its recently announced $50 million U.S. Department of Energy grant opportunity for the factory placing the initial combined investment over $200 million.

With the addition of the Jackson facility, 6K will employ nearly 500 people across its operations in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

“Tennessee is at the center of the automotive industry, thanks to our unmatched business climate and skilled workforce,” Lee said.

Blue Oval City, the Ford plant which will invest almost $6 billion once constructed in Haywood County, anchored West Tennessee along with the rest of the state as one of the nation's top automobile manufacturing hubs.

State leaders say the Jackson investment will continue to allow the automobile industry to flourish in Tennessee.

Fellow car giant General Motors partnered with South Korea-based Ultium Cells battery plant in 2021 in Spring Hill, Tennessee to create a new $2.6 billion plant to provide batteries for GM's Lyriq electric SUV.

“Home to a thriving electric vehicle industry, Tennessee is primed and eager to welcome 6K to the Volunteer State," McWhorter said.

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“Choosing the right fit for our first PlusCAM production facility is critical in our mission to be the leading domestic supplier of cathode material in the U.S. Not only did Jackson meet our requirements for critical items, such as energy cost and site readiness, but the teams at the state, county and town levels went above and beyond to ensure we will be successful building our plant. We’re excited to break ground and continue moving forward, in lockstep with Tennessee, to achieve our mission.” Sam Trinch, president of 6K Energy.

Both county and city's mayors said the plant will boost the economy in Madison County and Jackson, as well as attract skilled workers from the area.

“This is a thrilling moment as this project is the third largest investment in our community by an industrial company, strengthening our local economy and emphasizing our area as a great location for companies to thrive," Madison County Mayor AJ Massey said.

“This investment will not only create jobs but also boost economic development and reinforce Jackson's position as a leading destination for advanced manufacturing," Jackson Mayor Scott Conger said.

Construction will begin in July with initial production to start in October 2024, or approximately 15 months.

Since 2019, TNECD has supported 25 economic development projects in Madison County, resulting in approximately 1,700 job commitments and $1.1 billion in capital investment. One of the most recent headquarter announcements is the establishment of a Dixie paper products plant in Madison County.

6K represents 6,000 degrees, both the temperature of the operation of UniMelt®, the world’s only microwave production scale plasma system, and the temperature of the sun’s surface. 6K was founded in North Andover, Massachusetts. The 6K Additive division specializes in sustainably sourced, AM metal powders production and reclamation, using a proprietary milling and cleaning process that ensures contamination-free, high-quality powders.

Eighty-five percent of the world’s battery material comes from China. This is the first battery material plant being constructed in the U.S.

For more information, visit www.6Kinc.com.

This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: 6K Energy battery plant to bring 230 new jobs to Madison County