Production operation adds to megasite job picture

LIBERTY — Last week, FTBC, a newly-formed joint venture between Fujihatsu Tech America, Inc. and Toyota Tsusho America Inc., announced a new production operation in Liberty that will bring another 133 jobs to the area.

This facility will be built collocated with Toyota on the Randolph Greensboro Megasite that is home to the massive Toy-ota Battery Manufacturing North Carolina  (TBMNC ) project under construction. 

FTBC (Fujihatsu & Toyotsu Battery Components) plans to manufacture and sell prismatic aluminum cell cases and cell covers with discharge valves to meet the increasing demand for automotive batteries, particularly with the growing adoption of electrified vehicles (EVs) like hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs).  

The manufacturing facility is sched-uled to be completed this year, with mass production starting in 2025. The initial production volume is planned to be 2.7 million units/month, increasing to 3.6 million units/month after January 2026. The new operation will support TBMNC. 

FTBC’s projected capital investment over five years will exceed $60 million in machinery and equipment, and the company will create at least 133 new jobs over that same five-year period. 

The company’s competitive wages and benefits package will offer an attractive option for job seekers, according to a press release from the Randolph County Economic Development Corporation. 

“On behalf of the Randolph County Board of Commissioners, I want to wel-come FTBC to our county,” Darrell Frye, Chairman of the Randolph County Board of Commissioners, said in the release. 

“The $60 million investment and 133 new jobs will further provide job opportunities for our citizens, especially for young families that will sustain our economy for years to come. The presence of FTBC is a further acknowledgment of the business-friendly attitude of Randolph County, our quality of life, and the work ethic of the Randolph County employee. We are pleased to add FTBC to our proud list of corporate citizens.” 

“We are excited to welcome another EV battery-related company to our com-munity,” stated RCEDC President Kevin Franklin. “FTBC will help to further diversify our industrial sector, and we are confident in their ability to thrive here in Randolph County.”

10 Things to Know about Toyota’s new battery manufacturing plant in Liberty

Toyota offers these 10 facts about Toyota Battery Manufacturing, North Carolina (TBMNC), which is set to advance Toyota’s strategy to reduce carbon emissions through hybrid and battery electric vehicles. 

1. Currently under construction in Liberty, TBMNC is scheduled to begin production in 2025. 

2. It will be Toyota’s first-ever battery plant in North America. 

3. The plant will manufacture batteries for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs). 

4. Toyota will invest $13.9 billion in the plant, raising its global investment in electrification efforts to $16 billion.

5. The plant will create about 5,100new jobs. The company began hiring production maintenance positions in mid-2023. To view and apply for open positions, visit toyota.com/careers. 

6. Toyota is committed to using 100% renewable energy to produce batteries at the plant. 

7. This plant serves a central role in Toyota’s leadership toward a fully electrified future and will help meet its goal of carbon neutrality in vehicles and global operations by 2035. 

8. Toyota plans to roll out 30 BEV models by 2030 — five years after the North Carolina plant is scheduled to start operations. 

9. Formerly president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Mississippi, Sean Suggs was named president of TBMNC and will be responsible for all manufacturing and administration functions. 

10. TBMNC made its first community investment to enhance workforce readiness in North Carolina with donations totaling $1 million.