Milwaukee to get battery plant plus R&D center

From a news release issued by C&D Technologies:

PRNewswire-FirstCall -- C&D Technologies, Inc. [headquartered in Blue Bell, PA], a leading producer and marketer of batteries, battery systems and integrated standby power systems, today announced that the company has been awarded a contract by the US Army for the development of large-format lithium-ion battery systems. The $19 million contract will span an estimated four year period from September 18, 2009, with the objective of developing large-format lithium-ion batteries that can meet the growing needs of the US Army for light-weight, high power density battery systems. The technologies developed under the program will also be utilized in meeting the needs of C&D’s commercial customers, with potential application to large-scale grid-energy storage, renewable energy applications and distributed power for telecommunications systems, in addition to broader application in other branches of the military. The result will be a sustainable, domestic US source for high performance, large-format lithium-ion batteries, with the potential for achieving economies of scale to ensure affordability in a range of military and commercial applications. These new advanced lithium-ion battery systems will be developed and produced in C&D’s Milwaukee, Wisconsin operations, which has been a focus for renewed investment for the company over the last two years. . . .

"This contract will allow C&D Technologies to establish a world class research and development facility in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, including pilot production capability dedicated to large-format lithium-ion batteries, and will establish a domestic manufacturing base for C&D designed lithium battery systems” said Dr. Jeffrey Graves, President and CEO of C&D Technologies.

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