Dow to break ground on clean-energy manufacturing facility in Michigan

Alliance to Save Energy president Kateri Callahan on June 21 will participate in an historic groundbreaking ceremony in Midland, Mich., where Dow Kokam plans to construct a manufacturing facility for clean-energy lithium ion battery packs for next-generation hybrid and electric vehicles. Dow Kokam is owned by The Dow Chemical Company, TK Advanced Battery LLC and Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault (Dassault).

The new plant will employ more than 800 people and have the capacity to manufacture 1.2 billion watt hours of large-format, affordable lithium-ion batteries.

The groundbreaking is part of a larger event at the Dow’s corporate headquarters showcasing several major green energy and energy efficiency technology initiatives. They include Dow’s breakthrough diesel particulate filters, which deliver better gas mileage and lower emissions from diesel engines, as well as other innovative energy efficiency and insulation solutions.

“We are pleased to join Dow today in unveiling this new facility, which will create more than 800 new jobs in the manufacture of energy-efficient products,” Callahan said. “We commend this forward-thinking company, which holds a seat on the Alliance board of directors, for truly ‘walking the walk’ of its commitment to energy efficiency by putting significant resources into the development and deployment of innovative clean energy technologies.

“Dow’s world-scale initiative is a model for other American companies that want to create ‘homegrown,’ 21st-century jobs for American workers while simultaneously addressing our nation’s energy challenges and helping to maintain U.S. global leadership in manufacturing,” she added.