Endicott Awaits Start of Production at Lithium Battery Factory

https://wnbf.com/endicott-awaits-start-of-production-at-lithium-battery-factory/

Two years after Governor Cuomo visited Endicott to announce a planned lithium ion battery production facility, local officials don't know when the plant will open.

Imperium3 New York was expected to establish the factory at the Huron Campus, the birthplace of IBM.

Cuomo appeared with other elected officials in Endicott to reveal the project on October 4, 2017.

The governor said the consortium would invest more than $130 million and create at least 230 new jobs over the next five years.

Last February, Imperium3 indicated it was "set to begin production" in Endicott. The company projected initial production would start in the first half of the year.

Consortium representatives could not be reached Monday to provide an update on the battery factory. But Endicott Mayor John Bertoni said he had received no recent information regarding the launch of production.

Chris Pelto, Huron Real Estate Associates president, said he didn't know when the factory would become operational. He said Huron has a long-term lease with the consortium and has "no issues" with Imperium3.

The consortium acquired production equipment from a bankrupt company early this year. Pelto said 90 percent of the equipment is stored at the Huron site in Endicott and the remainder is in Binghamton.