Dongshin Motech to build supply plant near Windsor Airport
South Korean company Dongshin Motech Ltd. has officially pledged to build its first North American manufacturing plant in Windsor to supply the $5-billion NextStar Energy electric vehicle battery plant in the city.
Invest WindsorEssex and City of Windsor announced terms of a lease agreement with Dongshin Motech on June 3.
The project sees Dongshin Motech, which will operated in Canada as DS C&K Inc. invest $60 million to locate their 170,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Windsor. The facility will be located on 12 acres of land at the Windsor Airport and employ approximately 300 people when fully operational.
The Korean company will manufacture highly specialized aluminum casings for the electric vehicle batteries that will be produced at the LGES-Stellantis EV Battery Production Facility. Aluminum casings provide enclosure for the lithium-ion batteries and guarantee lightness and shock resistance, combined with the high thermal conduction needed for the battery temperature management system.
“We always knew that a significant supply chain would be necessary to support the massive investment that Stellantis and LGES are making in our community,” said Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens. “Dongshin Motech’s investment in our community proves that Windsor is on the move. We’re competing and we are winning the race to attract investment, create great local jobs and build an EV battery manufacturing base.”
Discussions about the investment began in April when Dilkens and Invest WindsorEssex visited Dongshin Motech’s European operations in Poland.
The city says announcement confirms Windsor’s position as the premier Canadian destination for electric vehicle component manufacturing. By co-locating in Windsor, alongside the LGES-Stellantis EV Battery Production Facility, Invest WindsorEssex is helping create an electric vehicle and battery supply chain cluster.
The City of Windsor intends to offer further support through the Economic Revitalization Community Improvement Plan program.
“We are pleased that Windsor will be the home of our first North American manufacturing facility,” said Dongshin Motech CEO Choon Woo Lim. “Our company has a history of producing highly specialized components to support global automotive clients, and we are pleased to bring our skills and expertise to Canada.”
The proposed site, west of Wheelton Drive, is municipally serviced to the lot line, and local utilities have confirmed that more than adequate electricity supply exists to comfortably accommodate energy demand.
The company is aiming to complete the factory by September 2023 with a goal of supplying battery cell casings to NextStar Energy by early summer 2024.
Dongshin Motech Ltd. specializes in automotive components. Founded in 1995, it employs over 600 people in South Korea, Poland and India.