A123 Systems wins GM contract, plans to double MI workforce

A123 Systems has some big plans for its Metro Detroit workforce now that the lithium-ion battery manufacturer has won a large contract from General Motors.

"We're talking about hiring 1,000 people in Michigan over the next few years," says Dan Borgasano, PR manager for A123 Systems. "Most of them will be in Livonia and Romulus."

A123 Systems, which calls Massachusetts home, develops and manufactures lithium-ion batteries, which are the battery packs that power hybrid-electric vehicles like the Chevrolet Volt. The manufacturer employs 1,000 people in Michigan, most of whom work in the company's Livonia and Romulus production facilities.

The contract includes advanced Nanophosphate cells and fully integrated electronic components. GM battery engineering teams have tested and validated the A123 battery chemistry at the automaker's Global Battery Systems lab in Warren. Teams from both companies will now work on developing calibrations and software controls for the battery system in preparation for production.

Source: Dan Borgasano, PR manager for A123 Systems
Writer: Jon Zemke

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  • A123 Systems
    Livonia, Michigan Website
    Founded in 2001, A123 was born out of research labs of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was funded initially with a $100,000 grant from the US Department of Energy. Among the companies using A123 batteries, battery systems and technology ...