Kempower, Inc., a European manufacturer of fast electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and solutions, announced it will invest $41 million for a new production facility in North Carolina, creating 300 jobs in Durham County.
“We are pleased Kempower is investing in North Carolina and joining the family of other high-profile EV and battery manufacturers in the state,” said Christopher Chung, CEO of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC). “It further shows North Carolina is a leader in the clean energy sector. Companies are choosing our state not only for its commitment to clean energy but for the largest manufacturing workforce in the Southeast and proximity to the EV supply chain.”
Kempower is a leading manufacturer of fast EV charging stations and solutions in Europe, which their company claims charge EVs faster and more efficiently than what is currently on the market. The Finland-based company has small sales offices in the United States, with the Durham County production facility being its first in the nation. While positions will vary, the average wage will grow to $88,440 in the project’s third year, surpassing Durham County’s current average wage of $86,686.
The EDPNC connected Kempower with state and local officials as well as aided the company in understanding state and local incentives and what workforce development programs were available to the company to use. Kempower ultimately chose North Carolina over Michigan, South Carolina and Virginia, due to the region’s educational resources, technical workforce, work force development opportunities and the state’s commitment to clean energy and sustainability.
The Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina would like to recognize the North Carolina Department of Commerce as well as other key partners involved in this project, including the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, North Carolina State University, the North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center, Raleigh-Durham International Airport, Durham Technical Community College, the Durham Workforce Development Board, Capital Area Workforce Development, Durham County and the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce.