From staff reports
Duksan Electera’s new Shelbyville production facility remains on track for a 2024 opening. The project, which broke ground October 2022, will employ 126 of workers from Bedford and surrounding counties.
Tennessee is an emerging leader in the production of electric vehicles and their various components. South Korea-based Duksan, a multi-faceted company with extensive experience in the manufacturing of assorted materials and chemical products, will continue that trend at its Shelbyville production facility, where it will produce electrolytes — a critical, stabilizing component in the lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles. Electrolytes produced by Duksan in Shelbyville will travel from Bedford County to battery production facilities in Tennessee and across the United States.
“We are very excited about opening later this year,” said Jinkang Yim, Vice President/Plant Manager, who will be relocating to Shelbyville next month. “This summer will be an especially busy time, but we are confident production will begin in 2024 as planned. All ambitious projects present opportunities and encounter obstacles. Duksan is proud to have successfully navigated its course.”
Over the last two years, Duksan committed $95 million to the project and continued to meet milestones and benchmarks along their path toward opening. One of the final steps in the process is the issuance of a certificate of occupancy from the city. Duksan is set to begin that application process in the coming weeks.
“We are very eager to begin working and to see the fruits of our labor begin to take shape,” Yim said. “Being a good neighbor and valuable member of this community has always been an important goal to Duksan. The people of Shelbyville have been welcoming to us, and we look forward to making Bedford County a home for our company, our employees, and their families.”
Helping Duksan along the way have been several invaluable partners. Nashville-based Gresham Smith designed the facility, and general contractor Turner Construction spearheaded the building efforts. Both firms have led numerous projects across Tennessee and the United States.
“It was important for us to work with partners who have strong Tennessee roots and who share our commitment to safety and quality,” said Yim.
Another key ally and supporter of Duksan has been the Shelbyville-Bedford Partnership.
“Duksan is helping to bring new industries and additional jobs to our region,” said Shane Hooper, president and CEO of the Partnership. “The collective work of the city and county governments helped to bring Duksan to 231 North Business Park, and as the completion of their production facility nears, we look forward to the continued growth of our workforce in Shelbyville and Bedford County.”
That workforce is already beginning to take shape. In addition to Yim, Duksan currently has twenty-four workers dedicated to their Shelbyville location. They have also hired the initial fifteen members of their production and quality team, and they expect to add ten more team members by mid-July. The number of new hires will continue to climb beyond one hundred as production ramps up throughout the year.
“Several of our employees have already begun to make to make Shelbyville and Bedford County home,” Yim said, “and we don’t think we could have picked a better place.”
