According to Wfft article published on April 26, 2023, Jaewon Industrial, based in Yeosu, South Korea, will open a new chemical recycling plant in Kokomo to serve lithium-ion battery manufacturers and the electric vehicle (EV) supply chain.
JWA Co. Ltd. is the company's U.S. battery and EV market subsidiary.
Indiana Secretary of Commerce Brad Chambers said, "With the addition of JWA, Hoosiers will be supporting the full lifecycle of energy storage and electric vehicle production, from R & D to production to recycling, helping usher in the global energy transition and shared sustainability goals."
JWA will invest $102 million to locate its first operations in Indiana, buying 30 acres of land at 100 East in Kokomo.
The first phase of construction will involve building a 65,000-square-foot facility to disperse conductive slurry and the construction of a recycling facility.
The recycling facility for n-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) will enable JWA to recycle up to 100,000 tons of NMP once at full capacity.
The second phase of construction will include building a second, 150,000-square-foot facility to disperse conductive slurry.
JWA plans to break ground in June and begin operations next year serving battery manufacturers in Indiana, including Stellantis' and Samsung SDI's new gigafactory joint venture, and across the U.S.
The company will hire plant managers, engineers, and operators once the facility is operational.
Jaewon Industrial CEO Jaewon Shim said, "By establishing a presence in Indiana, we hope to help secure Indiana as the center of the North American secondary battery and semi-conductor supply chains. Jaewon Industrial is also committed to investing in R & D as well as innovation of leading environmentally-friendly solutions for businesses."
Kokomo Mayor Tyler Moore welcomes the move, saying, "We are honored that Jaewon Industries has faith in Kokomo and its local workforce. Kokomo and its workers are up to the task."
