Area Development
Æsir Technologies, a nickel-zinc battery manufacturer, plans to invest $300 million in a manufacturing complex in Rapid City, South Dakota. The project is expected to create 400 jobs initially.

The first phase of construction will build a $90 million, 150,000-square-foot manufacturing and distribution center with the capacity to make 1.2 million batteries, or 2 gigawatt-hours, each year.

“We are excited about this phase of our company’s growth,” said Randy Moore, Æsir’s president and CEO. “It is important to note that we will continue to serve the aerospace and defense part of our business plan out of our Joplin, Missouri, manufacturing plant.”

The state will reportedly provide $1 million to assist with workforce development, as well as debt support for construction and new equipment.

“I want to thank Æsir Technologies for selecting Rapid City as the location for its new gigafactory. To all the employees who are planning to make the move, we look forward to welcoming you to your new home,” said Governor Kristi Noem. “We appreciate companies that dream big in the Mount Rushmore state. We want South Dakota to be the place where Æsir Technologies drives new innovations in its industry.”

The batteries manufactured at the complex will power data centers and telecommunications networks. The final campus, with four buildings overall, will be able to produce 4.8 million batteries annually and house 1,200 to 1,500 workers.