Ultium Cells battery plant in Delta Township reaches construction milestone

DELTA TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WILX) - The Ultium Cells battery plant in Delta Township is one step closer to opening its doors. On Friday, workers held a topping-out ceremony to celebrate their achievements.

Related: Michigan to play large role in future of electric vehicles

“Every milestone that we pass is a victory for the team as a whole,” said plant director Grace Griffin.

The event marked the placement of the final beam of steel in the Ultium Cells battery manufacturing facility. Workers came together to celebrate the occasion, with the placement of an evergreen tree on top of the final beam, which holds great significance to the project.

“As it symbolizes, the structure was erected without significant injury or loss of life,” said Rudy Schultz, with Barton Malow.

General Motors and LG Energy Solution invested $2.6 billion into the facility to support U.S. electric vehicle manufacturing, local jobs, education, career training and infrastructure. Griffin said the new development will create 1,700 new jobs.

“We’re excited about being able to offer employment for students directly out of high school, college graduates,” said Griffin.

The building is not set to be operational until late 2024, but workers still celebrated their accomplishments since laying the first beam of steel.

“These men and women with Iron Workers Local 25 and Operating Engineers 324 have unloaded more than 1,230 semi loads of structural steel,” said Schultz.

The steel structure was completed in five and a half short months. Schultz said without hard workers, the accomplishment would not have been possible.

With the final beam in place, the plant is one step closer to opening its doors, and the team is excited to see its hard work come to fruition.

The Delta Township battery plant is one out of three places Ultium Cells is setting up shop. The Other sites are located in Tennessee and Ohio.

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