Greek battery firm Systems Sunlight has established a US subsidiary as it prepares to build a lead-acid and lithium-ion manufacturing plant in North Carolina.
The wholly owned subsidiary, Sunlight Batteries USA, will begin assembling and distributing lead and lithium batteries for industrial electric vehicles (EVs) in Guildford County next year.
The new company will start with an initial investment of $6.5 million over the next three years. The government of North Carolina and the city of Greensboro intend to support it with a grant of around $400,000.
The move aims to accelerate the company’s expansion into the US where it has operated for the past six years.
“The establishment of Sunlight in the US market is a significant milestone to our growth plan,” said Robby Bourlas, Chief Executive Officer of Sunlight Batteries.
“With the launch of Sunlight Batteries USA, we create our largest assembly hub and a strategic geographic presence in a market we have been exporting to for the last six years.
In October, the company announced a number of changes to its management team with the objective to focus on its strategic priority relating to lithium batteries.
Foad Derisavi joins Sunlight to help it expand in the international industrial lithium batteries market.
Spiros Kopolas assumes the role of business development for lithium battery applications, aiming to expand the company’s market reach via global partnerships. He will continue as the firm’s head of the Recycling Division.