Good news for Cecil: Saft America wants to build $200 million plant

[thelakelander]

Here is the major announcement Mayor Peyton hinted at a few weeks ago.

Saft America, an international company that manufactures high-tech batteries, announced today it wants to build a factory costing up to $200 million in Jacksonville.

The plant would generate 800 jobs, according to the announcement. It would make lithium-ion cells and integrate batteries for a host of uses, including in military vehicles and aviation.

Saft is the previously unidentified company that Mayor John Peyton referred to a few weeks ago when he said there could soon be an announcement by a company interested in Cecil Commerce Center, which is located on Jacksonville's Westside.

Saft has applied for a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to help build the plant. The company said it is seeking $100 million.

"This 'factory of the future' will help the administration reach its goals to stimulate the economy by creating an estimated 800 new jobs within three years and it will accelerate the market for and reduce the costs of renewable energy technologies in the U.S.," said Saft America Chief Executive Officer Thomas Alcide.

Saft also has been in talks with the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission and state of Florida about financial incentives.

"Creating additional, high-wage jobs in this community is a top priority of my office and I look forward to working with Saft officials to help bring these investments to our community," Peyton said.

http://www.jacksonville.com/business/2009-05-28/story/saft_america_wants_to_build_200_million_plant_in_jacksonville

[Tripoli1711]

Sounds like good news.  It also sounds like all the jobs would be locally created as opposed to transplanting people in.

[heights unknown]

Cecil Commerce Center is on the move as is Jacksonville, or it so appears.  This is the second announcement in a week regarding a company wanting to build at Cecil or will build at Cecil.  Good news indeed for the Jax economy and for the area as a whole.

Heights Unknown

[blizz01]

Here's their press release:

http://www.saftbatteries.com/SAFT/UploadedFiles/PressOffice/2009/CP_25-09_en.pdf

It also appears that they already have some sort of presence in Valdosta (distribution).

[kramer2k]

Excellent news, as I live in the Argyle area.  After hearing rumblings of the final assembler of the C-27 Spartan pulling out due to defense spending, this is welcomed news.

[mtraininjax]

Welcomed news? Who is kidding who here? $100,000,000 / 800 = $125,000 per job. What is the return to the community on the payout? The city and JEDC has a great track record of giving away our tax dollars for little if no return.

This is another bad idea, for 800 jobs, if they had 8,000 coming that might be different. This is nothing more than a glorified call center opening.

[JeffreyS]

Well for Jacksonville there is no downside as the Feds are putting up the 100mil.  I think that grant has more to do with the industry specific item being produced than the jobs based on the fact it would come from the Dept of Energy.

[mtraininjax]

Well for Jacksonville there is no downside as the Feds are putting up the 100mil.

LOL, ONE WORD FOR YOU: SKYWAY

After 180 million dollars, we may have 1,700 riders a day, we will never see that return on the money. Sort of like the 1 Billion we gave to Amtrak this year.

All the hubbub over a company that wants to make batteries, is all just BS. The feds are promoting the battery manufacturing in the states that were hardest hit with the auto losses, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, and even California (to soften the federal ownership). Florida has such a larger diverse economy, don't look for battery manufacturing to be the next great wave at Cecil, we simply have not lost the number of jobs that the midwest has seen.

[blizz01]

Saft wins $95.5 million grant

The U.S. Department of Energy today announced a $95.5 million grant for Saft America to build a high-tech battery plant at Cecil Commerce Center on Jacksonville's Westside.

Saft, which has its global headquarters in France, won in a highly-competitive application process for $1.5 billion in federal grants aimed at boosting the manufacture of high-tech batteries in the U.S.

Saft has said it would build a $200 million plant creating up to 800 jobs in Jacksonville if it could get a federal grant and a package of local and state financial incentives. Saft had sought a $100 million federal grant.

The Jacksonville Economic Development Commission and Saft have been in talks over the state and local incentives, but a package has not yet been brought to the JEDC for a vote. The City Council would have to approve the package as well.

"If we want to reduce our dependence on oil, put Americans back to work and reassert our manufacturing sector as one of the greatest in the world, we must produce the advanced, efficient vehicles of the future," President Obama said in a statement announcing the recipients of the grants.

Saft plans to manufacture lithium-ion cells, modules and battery packs at the Jacksonville plant for military, industrial and agricultural vehicles, according to the U.S. Department of Energy announcement.

http://www.jacksonville.com/business/2009-08-05/story/saft_wins_955_million_grant_for_battery_plant_in_jacksonville

[Jason]

Bring it on.

[Charles Hunter]

CHARGE!!!


(sorry, couldn't resist) 

[heights unknown]

I think it's good for Jacksonville, if not for additional money at least for the image of the City.  I say "CHARGE" and "BRING IT ON" also.

Heights Unknown

[mtraininjax]

This is only step 1, they still need the City and the State to give tax-payer incentives to them to assist in the creation of the jobs. It will be interesting to see how much the state/city give away per job.

[blizz01]

This is only step 1, they still need the City and the State to give tax-payer incentives to them to assist in the creation of the jobs.

This just in:

The Jacksonville Economic Development Commission has approved a $20.2 million incentive package for Saft America Inc. to build a lithium ion battery plant at Cecil Commerce Center that will employ at least 279.

The incentive package approved Aug. 13 includes $5.3 million worth of city incentives and $14.9 million worth of state incentives.

[Dog Walker]

I think it is going to work out to about $100,000 per job if it's 200+ jobs and a total of $20 million in incentives.  $25,000 per job if its 800+ jobs.  I'll bet on the higher figure myself.  Battery factories are highly automated.