Weirton, WV – September 12, 2024 — Today Form Energy hosted a special event to commemorate the completion of construction and the start of trial production at Form Factory 1, the company’s first high-volume manufacturing facility located in Weirton, West Virginia. The event was organized to express gratitude to the many West Virginians whose efforts and support have enabled this significant achievement. Over 900 attendees participated in the celebration, including West Virginia Governor Jim Justice, state and community leaders, Form Energy employees, and their families.
Keynote speeches were delivered by West Virginia Governor Jim Justice, West Virginia Senator Ryan Weld, and Form Energy Co-founder and CEO Mateo Jaramillo. Guests were also treated to exclusive tours of the manufacturing floor, along with various family-friendly festivities showcasing local businesses and artisans from within the community.
“I cannot be more proud of what’s going on in Hancock County,” West Virginia Governor Jim Justice said. “At one point, Weirton was one of America’s most important steel towns—a national leader in steel production. Today, this historic city is looking toward the future, and it’s very bright with Form Energy. The reliability of the power grid for America will be dependent on West Virginia, making the Northern Panhandle a national leader of this industry. We lead the way in West Virginia, and this is yet another example of how we’re doing just that. We are an ‘all of the above’ energy state, and we will never turn our backs on natural gas or coal. With projects like this, we are proving that West Virginia is at the forefront of innovation and energy independence for generations to come.”
“Form Energy should serve as an example to the rest of the nation of just what is possible when state and local governments partner with private industry in order to create jobs and economic development opportunities,” said Senator Ryan Weld. “I grew up in downtown Weirton, not far at all from the site of Form Factory 1. So to see this incredible opportunity come to realization – for a community to once again manufacture a product that will put Weirton back on the map – is something that I am both honored and humbled to have been a part of.”
“In May 2023, we broke ground on Form Factory 1. Just a year later, we’ve completed the construction of a 520,000-square-foot facility, installed new manufacturing equipment, and initiated trial production of our breakthrough iron-air batteries,” said Mateo Jaramillo, CEO of Form Energy. Adding, “This milestone would not have been possible without the outstanding support of the State of West Virginia, the Weirton community, and federal leadership. We are proud to be part of the Northern Panhandle and contribute to the evolving economy of this wild and wonderful state.”
Form Energy, an American technology company, is pioneering a new class of multi-day energy storage systems. With more than 250 employees currently working at Form Factory 1, the company plans to continue growing its team as it ramps up high-volume production in the coming months. By 2028, Form Factory 1 is projected to employ at least 750 people, and have an annual manufacturing capacity of 500 megawatts.
Today’s event was live streamed, and a recording is available on Form Energy’s YouTube channel.
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