PR Newswire/Les Echos/
Press release
N° 64-09
Saft confirms location for lithium-ion battery factory in Jacksonville,
Florida
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., November 13, 2009 - Following receipt of a $95 million
grant from the U.S. Department of Energy under the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act and successful negotiations between Saft, the state of
Florida, and the city of Jacksonville, construction will soon begin in
Jacksonville for the lithium-ion (Li-ion) factory of the future.
The total estimated cost of the project is around $200 million, and it will
bring roughly 279 jobs to the area during the next six years.
"Florida is stepping onto the world stage as a major marketplace for advanced
energy technologies," said Governor Charlie Crist. "We are excited about Saft
establishing their lithium-ion factory in Florida, and we look forward to their
being a part of Florida's renewable energy future."
To be located at Cecil Commerce Center, Saft's new facility will be a
high-volume manufacturing plant building advanced Li-ion cells and batteries
for military hybrid vehicles, aviation, smart grid support, broadband backup
power and energy storage for renewable energy.
"The City of Jacksonville looks forward to having Saft America, Inc. as a
strong community partner at Cecil and is eager to see their development of
lithium-ion cells and batteries that will help address the nation's energy
needs," said Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton. "This truly was a collaborative
effort with local, state and federal officials working together to attract this
international company to Jacksonville and I greatly appreciate all of the hard
work to strengthen Jacksonville's position as the ideal location for their
battery plant."
Construction is scheduled to commence within the next few months and be
completed before the end of 2010. The presence of this state-of-the-art
manufacturing facility ensures that competitive battery solutions will be
imminently available to the U.S. and world markets from the Jacksonville
facility.
"We extend our thanks to the Governor's Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic
Development, Jacksonville Economic Development Commission, the Cornerstone
Regional Development Partnership and Enterprise Florida for their dedication to
bringing this project to fruition. Through this partnership between Saft, the
city of Jacksonville, and the state of Florida, we are going to build an
advanced factory of the future and bring many high-technology jobs to
Jacksonville," said Thomas Alcide, president of Saft America, Inc.
About Saft
Saft (Euronext: Saft) is a world specialist in the design and manufacture of
high-tech batteries for industry. Saft batteries are used in high performance
applications, such as industrial infrastructure and processes, transportation,
space and defense. Saft is the world's leading manufacturer of nickel-cadmium
batteries for industrial applications and of primary lithium batteries for a
wide range of end markets. The group is also the European leader for
specialized advanced technologies for the defense and space industries. With
approximately 4,000 employees worldwide, Saft is present in 18 countries. Its
15 manufacturing sites and extensive sales network enable the group to serve
its customers worldwide. Saft is listed in the SBF 120 index on the
Paris Stock Market.
For more information, visit Saft at www.saftbatteries.com.
Press Contacts:
Jill Ledger, Saft Corporate Communication and Investor Relations Director
Tel.: +33.1.49.93.17.77, e-mail: jill.ledger@saftbatteries.com
Yannick Duvergé, Financial Dynamics, Corporate Press contact
Tel.: +33 1 47 03 68 10; e-mail: yannick.duverge@fd.com
U.S. Press Contact: Paige Parker, French/West/Vaughan
Tel.: 919-277-1162, e-mail: pparker@fwv-us.com
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