Sen. Durbin: Normal competing for a new Samsung battery facility

Posted on August 12, 2021
The Samsung battery facility would create thousands of jobs in the area, according to U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL). (Facebook/Samsung)

 

By Neil Doyle

NORMAL – Samsung is considering Normal as a location to build a new battery plant, which would be located near Rivian, according to U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL).

“The delegation came in from Korea this week. I spoke to them and others did as well,” Durbin told reporters on Thursday. “This Samsung facility, we hope, will be located next-door to Rivian. That decision has not been made. Having that battery facility will also create thousands of jobs.”

Last week, Patrick Hoban, CEO of the Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council, said the area is a finalist to land a $1 billion development. Hoban told our news partner HOI ABC the community is competing against two other finalists in other states.

Earlier this year, Rivian partnered with Samsung SDI as its battery cell supplier.

The electric automaker is building its R1T pickup, R1S SUV, and delivery vans for Amazon at its manufacturing facility in Normal.

Neil Doyle can be reached at [email protected]

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…