Battery manufacturer unveils new grid banks at old Concord cigarette plant

CONCORD, N.C. — Alevo unveiled Tuesday their new grid banks at the old Phillip Morris cigarette plant.

It’s built like cargo containers on the outside and on the inside a mini-power station that can store excess power generated by power plants.

READ MORE: Former Phillip Morris plant in Concord sold

Alevo said these can reduce energy waste by 30 percent, saving money and reducing harmful energy plant emissions.

"We looked at many factories around the world, the facility has exactly what we need. It's big enough.  It's connected to the grid," said Tim O'Leary, executive vice president for Alevo.

It was about more than that.

"This property had more than just land and buildings, it has a great community," Alevo CEO Jostein Eikeland said.

Inside Alevo grid bank, self contained grid soon to be made in Concord. This one heading to China more at 5 @wsoctv pic.twitter.com/kPTHaYqwcm

— Scott Wickersham (@WickershamWSOC9)

They're going to need help from that community.

Alevo plans to hire 500 workers in the first year and 2,500 in three years.

It envisions up to 6,000 jobs created if additional manufacturing elements are located at the plant.

It will fill a serious void created when Phillip Morris left in 2009.

"We have the unemployed and underemployed who need a shot in the arm. And this is that shot in the arm," Concord Mayor Scott Padgett said.

"The real multiplier is the supply chain that comes with them. I think they were smart to buy this huge property because they have room to grow, and they could put their own suppliers right here," said Sharon Decker, North Carolina commerce secretary.

Alevo says the jobs available range from advanced manufacturing to management positions. CLICK HERE for information on applying.

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