Johnson Controls, as part of its joint venture with Saft SA, just announced that it will build a lithium-ion battery plant in Holland, Michigan. The plant will built in an existing Johnson Controls Facility there and will provide jobs to 500 employees. Refurbishing the existing plant to handle manufacturing lithium-ion batteries is expected to cost about $220 million. Once completed, the plant will be able to produce 15 million lithium-ion battery cells. The company is expected to receive a total of $148.5 million in Michigan tax credits and other incentives.

In the Greater Milwaukee Business Journal, Mary Ann Wright, VP and General Manager of Johnson Controls’ hybrid division and leader of the joint venture with  Saft, commented on the decision:

“This Michigan facility will allow us to serve our strategic global customers and specifically the production contracts we have with Ford and Azure Dynamics. It will also allow us to serve other important customers as the hybrid and electric vehicle industry continues to gain a foothold in the United States."