Construction is nearly complete on a battery components plant expected to employ up to 57 people.
Workers at Toda America Inc., 4750 W. Dickman Road, were putting finishing touches on the building Friday where lithium-ion compounds for batteries will be made.
Its presence links Battle Creek to West Michigan's emerging battery supply chain for hybrid vehicles.
Toda America's mixed-metal components go into batteries that can be used to run hybrid vehicles, cordless drills, laptop computers and touchless faucets -- anything that requires electricity from a lithium-ion battery, plant manager Bob White said.
Lithium is often mined in the United States and South America. Toda America purchases the purified metal and mixes it into specific compounds for its clients' needs, he said.
It is unlikely there would ever be contamination from a spill because the lithium is in powder form, White said.
Filters in the building clean air that comes in and goes out to create an environment free of dust and other particles that can damage production, he said. Noise pollution from its air compressors should not be a concern because the building is entirely enclosed.
The $70.1 million project is on schedule to begin test production in December or January, with full production set for this summer, he said. Workers will begin calibrating equipment by the end of the month.