Four years have passed since LG Energy Solution and Honda announced a large battery plant in Fayette County, and nearby business owners remain cautiously optimistic about the economic effect.
The facility, operated by LH Battery Company, covers more than two million square feet and represents a $4.4 billion investment. Mass production of lithium-ion battery cells intended for energy storage systems began during the summer.
Rick Riggle, the company's chief operating officer, said in a statement that the plant employs 1,100 people and is projected to reach 2,200 at full operation. Early announcements described batteries for electric vehicles; the site now makes lithium-ion cells, and Riggle said the company is expanding capacity for that product while preparing to produce batteries for hybrid-electric vehicles later.
Robin Beekman, who has owned Robin's Nest Flowers and Gifts in downtown Jeffersonville for more than three decades, described sales as steady rather than surging. She said she does not believe the plant is fully operating yet and expects business to improve as operations stabilize.
Kameron Rinehart, owner of Rural Beans Roastery, said the community feels busier than it did five or six years ago and called the future bright. He also voiced concern about farmland being lost to development, saying preservation of agricultural land and support for farmers is essential in a community rooted in agriculture.