RALEIGH – John Deere is bringing 50 new jobs to the Triad, picking a Kernersville site for a nearly $70 million battery and charger manufacturing plant. A big focus will be the off-highway equipment market, according to the company.
Gov. Roy Cooper announced the project on Monday.
The facility will be part of John Deere Electric Powertrain and includes gear from Kreisel Electric, which John Deere acquired in 2022.
Jobs will include assemblers, material handlers, packagers, and quality inspectors. The combined payroll is estimated at more than $3.3 million, according to the governor’s office.
“North Carolina’s leadership in manufacturing, innovation and clean transportation is creating great jobs from global manufacturers like this. With our shared values on sustainability, we look forward to creating a cleaner future together,” Cooper said in a statement.
The company will receive a $100,000 One North Carolina grant, which requires that investment and job creation totals be met. A match from local governments also is required.
The announcement is the latest in a series made over the past two years as companies such as VinFast, Toyota and Wolfspeed have chosen the state for plants that will service the electric vehicle industry.
Manufacturing at the plant will include Kreisel battery packs, charger technology and other systems.
“As the demand for electric solutions continues to increase, this strategic investment in growing our production capacity will help strengthen our position as an international battery technology leader. Within the evolving off-highway equipment market, we are prioritizing the development of a robust charging ecosystem and battery portfolio that can support and sustain the long-term adoption of electrification across a wide variety of applications,” said Pierre Guyot, Senior Vice President of John Deere Power Systems and Chairman of Kreisel Electric., in the announcement.
Deere already operates a big plant elsewhere in the Triad, employing some 800 people, according to the Triad Business Journal.
