LG Energy Solution partners with Honeywell for Arizona battery plant
Story Highlights
- LG Energy Solution selects Honeywell for building automation at Arizona battery plant
- $5.5 billion battery facility is halfway complete, targeting 2026 production
- LGES begins training workers at Future48 Workforce accelerator in Arizona
LG Energy Solution has selected Honeywell to provide building automation services for its electric battery manufacturing plant under construction in Queen Creek, the South Korean company announced Tuesday.
Honeywell (Nasdaq: HON) will deploy its building automation technologies — including cybersecurity services, fire alarm systems and facility monitoring — to enhance operations and improve safety at the 1.3-million-square-foot cylindrical battery manufacturing plant, which is slated for completion in 2026.
LG Energy Solution’s battery plant will utilize Honeywell Forge, an Internet of Things platform that ensures resiliency of critical systems, helping reduce “unplanned reactive work” and lower energy costs, according to the company.
“By developing and delivering solutions that blend cutting-edge technology and energy management, we are driving the future of automation,” Billal Hammoud, president and CEO of Honeywell Building Automation, said in a statement. “Honeywell’s collaboration with LG Energy Solution demonstrates how advanced building automation can help empower companies to achieve operational excellence in their facilities while also accelerating the shift to a more secure energy future.”
LG battery facility halfway complete
Construction of the LG Energy Solution’s $5.5 billion battery manufacturing facility is about halfway complete, the company announced last month.
LGES aims to begin sample production in mid-2026, followed by commercial production of its 46-Series cylindrical batteries for automakers by the end of the year at its Queen Creek facility. The company recently secured a series of supply agreements with leading automakers for its 46-Series cylindrical batteries, which will be manufactured in Arizona.
LGES’ construction milestone of its Arizona battery plant comes on the heels of its efforts in the first quarter to reallocate its production capacity in North America to respond to market demands and uncertainties, according to a company announcement.
While LGES’ plans remain on pause for an energy storage system battery factory in Arizona, the company will utilize existing capacity at its Michigan plant, beginning with production of lithium iron phosphate batteries this year.
LG Energy Solution also has several joint venture facilities with prominent automakers that are currently operating or under construction in the U.S., according to the company.
Battery-focused accelerator program trains LGES workers
LGES in April began training its initial team of workers at Arizona’s battery-focused Future48 Workforce accelerator, which launched last month in partnership with the Arizona Commerce Authority, Pinal County, and Central Arizona College.
Located at Central Arizona College’s Superstition Mountain campus, the 19,850-square-foot accelerator provides hands-on workforce training focused on manufacturing cylindrical batteries for electric vehicles and other applications.
“We will create 1,500 new employment opportunities overall by 2027, significantly thriving the local economy and further cementing Arizona’s growing reputation as a hub for advanced manufacturing,” Richard Ra, president of LG Energy Solution Arizona, said in a statement. “This workforce training center at CAC will be a cornerstone of our effort, preparing a highly skilled workforce for the jobs of tomorrow for Arizonans by awakening their infinite potential.”
LGES was not immediately available for comment on the number of employees hired so far for the Queen Creek plant. LGES has 11 open positions for engineers, technicians and environmental specialists for its Queen Creek battery facility, according to the company’s website.
The battery-focused Future48 Workforce Accelerator is the second training center launched in partnership with Central Arizona College and Pinal County. In 2021, state officials launched Drive48, an automotive training assembling facility in Coolidge.
The Future48 Workforce Accelerators are supported by a $30 million investment from the Arizona Commerce Authority to build advanced manufacturing training facilities across the state in partnership with local community colleges.
The Future48 network includes six training centers across Coolidge, Apache Junction, Yuma, Kingman, Phoenix and Mesa focused on industries such as automotive, batteries and semiconductors.