New EV battery facility goes vertical

This spring, we celebrated “going vertical” on the site of our new EV battery facility. On April 26, workers at our De Soto, Kan., site erected the new facility’s first steel beam, marking the latest milestone achievement for the biggest economic development project in Kansas history.

After moving more than 4.5 million cubic yards of dirt since breaking ground in November, our construction teams hosted a ceremony that featured congratulations and appreciation from Panasonic Energy’s Allan Swan, president, Carl Walton, vice president of strategic initiatives and facilities, and Yoichi Shindo, deputy site project leader.

“Today represents the culmination of great teamwork from so many involved – all of our great construction partners, our new neighbors here in De Soto and state leaders in Topeka,” Walton said. “It’s also the beginning of the next phase, where you’re going to be able to see this state-of-the-art facility take shape right before your eyes.”

Front-line construction workers from various teams took a moment to sign the first beam before it was erected at the 300-acre site. With the first beam in place, the next phase of construction begins on the facility. The facility is expected to start production in 2025 and when fully operational, the plant will increase Panasonic Energy’s global capacity by 60%.

“This first piece of steel is so much more than simply a piece of material,” Swan said.  “It represents the starting point for creating thousands of jobs over the next couple of years. It represents new opportunities for this remarkable workforce in the area as well as the students who will soon be joining the workforce. And it represents the commitment that Panasonic and Kansas share to building a more sustainable future. That all starts with this first beam.”