Forge Nano breaks ground on battery gigafactory in North Carolina
Forge Nano has broken ground on a major expansion of its lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility in Morrisville, North Carolina, in the United States. The project, backed by up to USD 100 million from the US Department of Energy, will expand the site to nearly 315,000 square feet and establish up to 3 GWh of annual battery cell manufacturing capacity.
The expansion will more than triple the existing 100,000 square-foot facility and create more than 250 jobs. Production is expected to begin in 2028, with manufacturing equipment scheduled for delivery over the next two years, according to a press release from the company.
The facility is designed to address US dependence on foreign-controlled battery supply chains for defence and aerospace applications. The timing is intended to align with new National Defense Authorization Act battery sourcing requirements taking effect in 2028.
Samsung SDI is a central part of the strategy. The South Korean battery manufacturer is providing operational and manufacturing expertise for the Morrisville facility and has entered a conditional procurement agreement to purchase cells manufactured at the gigafactory beginning in 2028. Samsung SDI also made a USD 20 million strategic investment in Forge Nano in July, split between the company's Series D financing and a PIPE financing associated with Forge Nano's planned public listing.
"We're combining Forge Nano's technology with world-class manufacturing expertise, federal support and North Carolina's growing advanced manufacturing ecosystem to bring critical battery production to the United States," said Paul Lichty, CEO of Forge Nano.
At full production, 3 GWh represents approximately 150 million battery cells per year – enough to support roughly 10 to 20 million drone batteries or 34,000 electric military vehicles annually, depending on product mix.
