CSX.com – Piedmont Lithium Chooses CSX Select Site in Tennessee for Major Facility

CSX joined Piedmont Lithium officers and Tennessee Neighborhood Growth Commissioner Stuart McWhorter Sept. 1 to announce the collection of a rail-served website close to Etowah, Tennessee, for a significant lithium hydroxide venture that can help the nation’s quickly rising electrical car business.

Piedmont Lithium officers mentioned the corporate will make investments $582 million to determine a lithium hydroxide processing, refining and manufacturing facility in Southeast Tennessee. Piedmont mentioned the venture is believed to be largest lithium hydroxide processing facility deliberate in america.

“The fast electrification of the automotive market has led to large investments in electrical car and lithium-ion battery manufacturing in america, making a vital want for lithium hydroxide produced within the U.S.,” mentioned Keith Phillips, president and chief government officer of Piedmont Lithium. “Our Tennessee Lithium operation ought to play an vital function in serving to to mitigate provide shortages within the American EV business and battery provide chain, significantly within the wake of current laws incentivizing using domestically sourced vital supplies and offering tax credit for U.S. producers.”

The location chosen for the plant, which is anticipated to create 117 jobs, is in McMinn County on the North Etowah Industrial Park, a CSX and Choose Tennessee Licensed Website. Rail service was instrumental within the site-selection course of, and CSX labored carefully with Piedmont Lithium and financial improvement officers to land the venture.

“CSX shares the dedication of Piedmont Lithium, Tennessee and its communities to financial development and a sustainable future,” mentioned Tom Tisa, CSX head of enterprise improvement. “The CSX Choose Websites program helps corporations establish high-quality websites that meet their improvement standards, whereas additionally enabling them to cut back their carbon footprint by means of fuel-efficient rail transportation.”

CSX’s function was additionally cited by Stuart McWhorter, commissioner of the Tennessee Division of Financial and Neighborhood Growth. “Thanks to the area people and our companions at CSX for his or her help in making this win a actuality,” McWhorter mentioned. “Tennessee continues to draw corporations within the electrical car business [and] we imagine McMinn County would be the ideally suited location to help Piedmont‘s development and success.”