Johnson Controls Inc. is investing $245 million to double production capacity of Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) batteries in North America.
The company will add six battery production lines in the U.S. and Mexico between 2016 and 2020.
The company says the majority of the AGM expansion will be in the U.S. and it wants to “work with local officials before sharing the actual locations.”
Johnson Controls says it is finalizing the details of where the new lines will be added, and how many new jobs they will create, but each one will add employment.
The $245 million investment is in addition to a previously announced $138 million project to expand battery production at Johnson Controls’ Toledo, Ohio, plant. Over the next four years, the company will invest more than $380 million in its North American battery production facilities.
"Due to increasing power needs for vehicle accessories and safety functions, along with changing environmental standards, automotive batteries play an increasingly important role in today’s vehicles,” says Joe Walicki, president, Johnson Controls Power Solutions.
The company says its AGM batteries are engineered for ever-increasing vehicle demands, including:
* superior starting power even at low states of charge;
* reliability in harsh weather and extreme conditions; and
* excellent durability in high-load applications.
For Modern Tire Dealer's recent coverage of evolving battery technologies see: "New Battery Technologies Power Sales Opportunities for Dealers."
