Two global chemical companies have sealed an $850 million deal to build what one of the company's billed as North America’s biggest factory producing electric vehicle materials in Augusta.
Finalizing the agreement this month were Solvay, a Belgian multinational company that has operated a polymers plant in Augusta since 2000, and Orbia, a Mexican-based manufacturer of plastic resins and other compounds.
With Orbi providing the raw materials, Solvay will produce the finished product of polyvinylidene fluoride, or PVDF, which is used as a binder and separator coating for lithium-ion batteries used in EVs. It’s in the same family of thermoplastic fluoropolymers that includes the familiar brand name Teflon.
At full capacity, the new operation is expected to provide material for more than 5 million EV batteries per year. The project could create up to 500 construction jobs and up to 100 manufacturing jobs for the Augusta area.
Construction is expected to be completed by its projected 2026 opening date.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: It's official: Continent's largest EV parts plant planned for Augusta