Pure Lithium Corporation relocating operations to Illinois

CHICAGO, Ill. (WCIA) — A battery technology company from Boston is set to relocate to Illinois in the near future, with the company planning to invest nearly $50 million in Illinois operations.

On Thursday, Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), and next-generation battery technology company Pure Lithium Corporation announced that the company is bringing its entire operation from Boston to Chicago. This move is to support the company’s drive toward commercial production, according to a news release.

Pure Lithium’s $46 million investment, bolstered by the Reimagining Energy and Vehicles in Illinois (REV Illinois) program, will allow the company to manufacture the first commercially viable lithium metal battery in Illinois. This will bring plans to target the drone and defense, consumer electronics, grid-scale energy storage systems and electric vehicle markets, while supporting the state’s clean energy economy.

“I am excited to welcome the team at Pure Lithium to our state, where they’ll be an excellent addition to the business landscape and burgeoning clean energy ecosystem,” Pritzker said in the release. “Their investment will not only create jobs and economic opportunity for our people but help power the green revolution right here in Illinois.”

After finishing its initial start-up phase in Boston, the operation will move to Chicago to expand to include production and manufacturing. More specifically, the company is expected to open its new facility this year in Chicago’s Fulton Market district, which is a growing hub for technology companies and corporate headquarters.

Additionally, the move brings Pure Lithium closer to Argonne National Laboratory. The battery company and Argonne are currently working together on a project to scale lithium metal anode production using recycled lithium metal, with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy.

After Pure Lithium explored options in different states and cities, the company decided that Illinois provides the best opportunities to achieve the goal of commercialization.

The company will also be receiving REV incentives from DCEO as part of an incentive package as a result of their plan of committing to invest $46 million, moving jobs to Illinois and creating 50 new jobs. REV provides competitive incentives for manufacturers across electric vehicle (EV) and renewables sectors to expand in or move to Illinois. A link to the executed REV agreement can be found here.

“Our new facility in Chicago aligns with the company’s long-term operational goals and growth strategy,” said Pure Lithium Founder and CEO Emilie Bodoin. “This is a decisive step in the company’s transition from pure R&D to scaling up for commercial production. This requires different technologies, different facilities and different skillsets. This move allows us to construct a semi-automated battery pilot line vertically integrating our lithium metal reactor, and the incentives assist in funding critical pilot equipment, accelerating our timeline to market.”

This major investment project is part of the state’s direct effort to achieve the goals of Illinois’ Economic Growth Plan. This plan also outlines a roadmap to attract record-level investments, create new jobs and support communities while laying the foundation for economic growth in the future.

Pure Lithium is just the latest business to expand to Illinois, following in the steps of Damera Corporation, Rivian and Wieland North America.