Celguard, which makes membrane for lithium battery industry, expanding

Charlotte-based Celgard LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Polypore International Inc., will create 289 jobs and invest a total of $91 million in expanded and new infrastructure in Mecklenburg and Cabarrus counties over the next five years.

The company develops and produces specialty membranes used predominantly in the lithium battery industry.

The expansion is designed to increase production capacity to supply lithium battery manufacturers focused on the electric drive vehicle industry.

"Celgard is an innovative, forward-thinking North Carolina company that is helping us realize the promise of a greener economy," Gov. Bev Perdue said. "These are exactly the types of jobs I envisioned when we started building the number of 'green-collar' jobs in our state."

Celgard plans to expand its Charlotte campus, which employs about 390 workers, and add 80 jobs.

A second facility will be built in Concord, which will employ 209 workers by the end of 2014, contingent on approval of local incentives.

While salaries will vary by job function, the overall average wage for the 289 new jobs will be $56,960 not including benefits. That is higher than both the Cabarrus annual average of $32,396 and the Mecklenburg average of $48,776.

Through Perdue's JobsNOW initiative, the state continues to work to create well-paying jobs, train and retrain its workforce, and lay the foundation for a strong and sustainable economic future.

"After conducting a thorough, multi-state review of potential sites, we are pleased to announce the expansion of our Charlotte facility and the construction of a new facility in Concord," said Mitch Pulwer, vice president and general manager of Celgard.

"This region offers a skilled workforce and solid transportation infrastructure, and is in close proximity to several engineering universities and laboratories that offer great technical capabilities we can leverage."

In August 2009, Celgard was selected for a grant of approximately $49 million from the U.S. Department of Energy for this expansion. The grant is part of $2 billion in federal Recovery Act funds awarded to create jobs and advance the next generation of electric vehicles.

U.S. senators Kay Hagan and Richard Burr and representatives Sue Myrick and Larry Kissell provided support and guidance to Celgard during the grant process.

"Celgard is creating 289 manufacturing jobs in Mecklenburg and Cabarrus counties and is investing in new infrastructure in our state," Hagan said.

"Celgard's advanced battery component will power the cars of the future, and these green energy jobs are exactly what we're working to attract to North Carolina. I was proud to help ensure these jobs came to our state. The Recovery Act is spurring job growth — my No. 1 priority — in North Carolina, and I will continue working for our economic recovery."

"I am proud that we could help Celgard secure the Department of Energy grant to make this possible," said Kissell. "Celgard's expansion is the type of help the Recovery Act was meant to bring and why I'm proud I supported it. This type of cooperation at all levels of government, along with private enterprise, is what will fuel our economic recovery."