Sodium-ion battery manufacturer Natron Energy Inc. announced Aug. 15 that it will create more than 1,000 jobs by investing $1.4 billion to establish a sodium-ion battery factory at the Kingsboro CSX Select Megasite. Located just outside Rocky Mount in Edgecombe County, N. C., the 2,187-acre, shovel-ready site is one of six with 1,000 acres or more of contiguous land in North Carolina. Natron will receive close to $30 million from the North Carolina Megasite Readiness Program for site preparation.
Though wages will vary by job, the average salary for Natron’s new positions will be $64,071, exceeding Edgecombe County’s average wage of $43,183. These jobs are expected to have an annual payroll impact of close to $77 million.
During its 2022 legislative session, North Carolina’s general assembly assigned EDPNC to oversee the Megasite Readiness Program, providing $1 million to identify and evaluate development sites for development and marketing. The legislature later added more opportunities for grant funding, appropriating $10 million for use in fiscal year 2023-24 and $97.8 million for use in fiscal year 2024-25. Natron is the first recipient of the readiness program’s funds, which are subject to final approval by EDPNC’s board of directors.
“In recent years, North Carolina attracted large economic development projects, and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) was tasked with overseeing the Megasite Readiness Program to better prepare our state to welcome more of that success,” says Christopher Chung, CEO at EDPNC. “With this funding, the state can support recruiting more large projects like Natron’s that will positively impact Edgecombe County and our megasites.”
Founded in California in 2012 to produce ultra-safe and high-powered batteries, Natron reports it’s the only commercial manufacturer of sodium-ion batteries in the U.S. In 2020, its sodium-ion battery became the world’s first to receive a UL 1973 listing, allowing deployment in data centers, forklifts and electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging facilities. Earlier this year, Natron opened its plant in Holland, Mich., which is North America’s first sodium-ion battery production facility. The plant at the Kingsboro megasite facility will add to this Michigan-based production capacity.
