Major Battery Plant headed for Dundee?

...courtesy of the Dundee Courier

Thurso-based AMTE Power - specialists in the development of lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries for the transport and storage sectors – is in talks to establish a scale-up facility in the largest building at the Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc (MSIP) in Dundee.

It is estimated that the investment at the former Michelin tyre factory site in Dundee could run into eight figures!

Speaking to the Dundee Courier, AMTE Power commercial director David Pell said there was a “real willingness” on all sides to make the move happen.

He said: “We have the technology and now we’ve got to scale up (production) and there are a number of things that attract us to Dundee. Firstly our heritage as a Scottish company.

“Secondly, we see Scotland as progressive in terms of its drive and focus on net zero.

“Thirdly is the real commitment not just to putting the supply chains in place but also the skills base. We see a real commitment to this at MSIP.”

Mr Pell said the 10,000 square metres Dundee facility would cover a wide range of battery production, making cells from raw materials, through to testing, packing and distribution and involve “some highly skilled jobs…we are seeing a real willingness from the various Scottish agencies to try to make this happen. We are committed to making this happen.

“Now we are getting into the detail about what is available to support us setting up and the investment we’d bring to the table.

“That’s where you get into the real detail to see if the business case is viable. We are honing in on a lot of that detail over the next few weeks.”

AMTE Power also has gigafactory plans

It intends to build a much larger gigafactory - although the company does not have a preferred location but it will not be located at MSIP in Dundee as the size of this more automated facility is so large it would cover the entire 32-hectare MSIP site at Baldovie.

Mr Pell said there is a “chance” it could come to Tayside, but the firm is considering a much wider search area.

He added: “The scale-up site will be much more process orientated. To get a production line up might take a few months.

“With a gigafactory and the size of it you are talking many hundreds of staff but some of these production lines are highly automated.”

He said the Dundee factory would likely employ 80 and 100 staff.

MSIP is hopeful of attracting AMTE Power as it aims to replace the 850 jobs list when the Michelin tyre closed. Greig Coull, chief executive of MSIP said: “We are very excited about the potential prospect of hosting them on the site. There’s a real opportunity to build a cluster of electric, mobility and storage activity here.

“This is not only in terms of manufacturing but in terms of the whole management technology required.

“We have enough space to welcome companies who want to scale up.”

EVA Scotland Director Neil Swanson added:

” EVA Scotland welcomes the announcement of investment and creation of these jobs in the EV capital of Scotland by AMTE Power. This significant investment would enhance Scotland’s place in the transition to Net Zero, and would demonstrate the capabilities of these industries in the Scottish economy.”.