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S. Korean company wins auction of Queen Creek land

Posted 4/19/22

South Korean company LG Energy Solution (LGES) has successfully bid on a 650-acre parcel of land in Queen Creek in order to build a $2.8 billion electric vehicle battery manufacturing …

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S. Korean company wins auction of Queen Creek land

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South Korean company LG Energy Solution (LGES) has successfully bid on a 650-acre parcel of land in Queen Creek in order to build a $2.8 billion electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility.

The land up for auction is on the northeast corner of Ironwood Drive and Germann Road. The minimum bid was $84,444,000

The Arizona State Land Department auction took place today in the 1891 Historic Pinal County Courthouse at 135 North Pinal St., Florence in the Ceremonial Courtroom.

According to a press release from Pinal County, Queen Creek is now firmly set to be home to LGES battery manufacturing facility. A global battery producer for next-generation technologies,  LGES announced last month it is initially investing $1.4 billion to build its first-ever cylindrical-type battery facility in North America. The amount of investment could grow further.

The company expects that the new facility will bring 2,800 new full-time jobs to the area, with construction on the facility starting this summer and production commencing in 2024.

“The historic investment from LG Energy Solution is a generational one that will support thousands of good-paying jobs in Pinal County and throughout the state,” Arizona Governor Doug Ducey states in the release. “Global technology leaders like LG are choosing Arizona because of our world-class business environment, advanced workforce, unbeatable quality of life and culture of innovation -- one that’s delivering unparalleled opportunity for current and future generations. My thanks to CEO Youngsoo Kwon and the entire team at LG Energy Solution, as well as to Sandra Watson and all the partners on this project, including Pinal County, Queen Creek, SRP, Mesa Gas, and Central Arizona College. This announcement proves once again that Arizona means technology, and we’re only just getting started.”  

In the release, Sandra Watson, president and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority stated that with “LG Energy Solution’s announcement, Arizona has cemented our reputation as the world’s production capital for cutting-edge battery technology. This high-tech facility further anchors Arizona as a hub for electric vehicles and sustainable technologies, bolstering our already robust EV supply chain. We are incredibly grateful to LG Energy Solution for investing in Arizona and to the many partners who helped land this transformational facility in our state.”

Chris Camacho, president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council said the LGES’ move will attract other companies from around the world.

"The addition of LG Energy Solution's high-tech battery manufacturing facility to Queen Creek is a massive investment that solidifies the market's position as a hub for battery technology and energy storage and is significant for Greater Phoenix as it continues to attract global leaders in emerging industries," Camacho stated in the release. "With ASU and the region's universities leading the way in workforce development, Greater Phoenix has the infrastructure and graduate pipeline to feed directly into this facility and the ecosystem surrounding it, which is creating thousands of quality high-paying jobs."

Cylindrical batteries offer high-density, compact energy storage ideal for applications such as electric vehicles. The state-of-the-art Arizona facility aims to establish LGES’ presence in North America’s cylindrical battery market, while providing opportunity for further expansion.

"We're really excited that global powerhouse, LG Energy Solution has chosen Pinal County [for its new facility],” stated Jeffrey McClure, chairman of the Pinal County Board of Supervisors in the release. "Their investment in our great county is fantastic news for our workforce -- too many of our residents currently travel out of the county to work, but LG Energy Solution's arrival will create high-paying jobs and training opportunities at their doorstep, providing our communities a true-life balance of live, work and play."

According to the press release, the facility will feature a cutting-edge smart factory system including remote support, manufacturing intelligence, logistics automation and more. The one-of-a-kind technology, along with its expertise in the mass production of batteries, allows LGES to meet consumer demands in a stable manner and secure the company’s leadership in the North American battery market.

High-tech manufacturing, including semiconductors, electric vehicles and batteries, is flourishing in Arizona, supporting the addition of thousands of new jobs through direct production and supply-chain operations in recent years. The state has seen recent multibillion-dollar investments from global technology leaders such as Intel and TSMC, while EV makers such as Lucid, Nikola, and ElectraMeccanica have production operations in the state.