ATLANTA – January 26, 2023 – Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced that SK Battery America (SKBA) will open a regional IT hub facility in Roswell, creating 200 high-tech jobs and investing approximately $19 million over the next few years.
“We’re proud of SK Battery America’s continued growth here in the No. 1 state for business,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “This innovative company continues to bring the jobs of the future that will benefit hardworking Georgians in manufacturing, and now it will also tap into the tech talent our top-ranking universities provide.”
SK Battery America is investing nearly $2.6 billion in two lithium-ion battery manufacturing facilities in Jackson County to supply electric vehicles such as the Ford F-150 Lightning and Volkswagen ID.4. The SKBA facility is one of SK Group’s three major investments in the State of Georgia. Founded in 1976, SK Group is the second-largest conglomerate in South Korea.
“We decided to open our IT regional center in Roswell to strengthen SK’s position as a leader in the battery industry, and it will help us build and operate an advanced manufacturing system in accordance with further expansion of battery production bases in the United States,” said Jason Choi, Head of Information Technology at SK Battery America. “We are excited to expand our presence and engage with the community and surrounding region.”
SK Battery America’s new IT center will be an integrated IT management center serving the company’s battery manufacturing facilities across the United States, including its Georgia facilities. It is located at 1110 Sanctuary Parkway in Roswell. Operations are expected to begin in January. The company will be hiring IT experts for battery manufacturing execution system development and operations as well as data analysts. Interested individuals can learn more about SKBA at www.skbatteryamerica.com.
“We are looking forward to SK Battery America becoming part of our community and the opportunities it will bring to Roswell,” said City of Roswell Mayor Kurt Wilson. “Since taking office a year ago, our priority has been to recruit businesses such as SK Battery America — businesses that can provide high-quality job opportunities for Roswell’s talented, experienced workforce and enhance the vibrancy and economic strength of our city. Roswell is the perfect location for the IT Regional Center. We are proud SK Battery chose our city for the center and look forward to working closely with them.”
“We welcome SK Battery America to Fulton County and the many new job opportunities they will create for our residents,” said Robb Pitts, Chairman of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners. “Fulton County is a destination for the best and brightest, and today’s announcement reflects that.”
Director of Korean Investment Yoonie Kim represented the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s (GDEcD) Global Commerce team on this competitive project in partnership with City of Roswell, Fulton County, and Georgia Power.
“In 2019, SK On established SK Battery America as its U.S. production base, and the new IT regional center is a natural result of the company’s commitment to Georgia,” said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. “In economic development, we often talk about the ripple effects of a company’s initial investment. Suppliers, support centers, and expansions create new opportunities that go beyond the company’s original scope, location, and even industry. We look forward to future opportunities to celebrate SK Battery America and SK On’s success in Georgia, and congratulations to the City of Roswell and Fulton County for this exciting addition to the region’s tech industry!”
Georgia is consistently welcoming increased investment in the electric mobility ecosystem and supply chain across the state. Electric mobility related projects have contributed more than $21 billion in investments and more than 26,700 new jobs to Georgia since 2020. SK Battery America’s new IT regional center will support the company’s battery production operations, build on the state’s existing automotive assets and developing workforce, and help to ensure a domestic supply chain for the electric mobility industry.
About SK Battery America
SK On, the parent company of SK Battery America, is a global leading electric vehicle battery developer, manufacturer, and solutions provider in the world. As SK On’s U.S. production base, SK Battery America produces the safe, fast charging, and long-lasting batteries currently installed in the Ford F-150 Lightning and Volkswagen ID.4. The company will have a combined capacity to make 22 GWh of battery cells a year – enough to power the equivalent of about 300,000 EVs annually. Since 2019, the company has invested a total of $2.6 billion to build EV battery plants in Commerce, Georgia, creating 2,600 high-skilled jobs.
Contact
Garrison Douglas – Press Secretary
Office of Governor Brian P. Kemp
garrison.douglas@georgia.gov
Carter Chapman – Communications Specialist
Office of Governor Brian P. Kemp
carter.chapman@georgia.gov
Marie Gordon – Director of Communications
Georgia Department of Economic Development
mgordon@georgia.org