Harrodsburg, Ky - Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas Inc. has selected its Mercer County plant for the company's North American lithium-ion battery packs production.
The new manufacturing capability will create 60 new jobs and represents an approximate $12 million investment, according to a release from the office of Governor Steve Beshear.
This is Hitachi's fourth announcement of new jobs and investment in Kentucky since 2009, when the Governor traveled to Japan to meet with Hitachi officials.
Since that visit, Hitachi has announced a total of 335 new jobs and $154.5 million in investment in its two Kentucky locations.
Hitachi, which has existing locations in Harrodsburg and Berea, just completed construction of its new 153,000-square-foot factory on its existing 85-acre Harrodsburg site. The expansion project, which was announced in 2010, is creating 145 new jobs in Harrodsburg and entails an investment of $68 million. The plant produces sophisticated automotive electronics. With this latest expansion, the plant will also produce the battery control electronics, which will be installed as part of the battery pack assembly.
"Hitachi is one of the few automotive suppliers with the capability to develop and produce our own lithium-ion batteries, electric drive motors and the electronic controls needed to manage electric powered automobiles," said Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas President Mark Fujisawa. "The North American production of these hybrid electric vehicle batteries complements our North American production of hybrid vehicle motors, which we announced last month. We are excited to further expand our United States production operations with the manufacturing of these batteries produced in the Commonwealth of Kentucky."
With the support of state and local incentives, Hitachi also announced this past August the establishment of its third Kentucky manufacturing facility in Berea, where it will soon start production of motors that will power advanced electric powered automobiles. The Berea plant will create 130 new jobs and result in a $74.5 million investment.
"We are charged up that Hitachi has chosen our community to lay down North American roots and we look forward to a long and productive relationship," said Sen. Jimmy Higdon, of Lebanon.
"Today's announcement is not only good news for Mercer County and Kentucky but is also a statement on the confidence Hitachi has in the workers at the Harrodsburg plant," said Rep. Kim King, of Harrodsburg.
"These jobs also represent an opportunity for our young people who are seeking high-paying, highly technical jobs that will allow them to stay in their hometowns."
Lithium-ion battery packs production at the Harrodsburg plant is expected to begin in 2012, with the first product shipment going out in 2013. Hitachi's future plans also include the production of electric inverters for hybrid electric vehicles, which will be manufactured in its Kentucky plants.
For more information on Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas, visit http://www.hitachi-automotive.us.