European companies seek stimulus money to locate in Jacksonville - Kansas City Business Journal:

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European alternative energy companies, such as , a subsidiary of a Frency company, and an Italian biodiesepl company that the has yet to want to come to Jacksonville for some of the same reasonas other European companies have recentlylocated here: Access to the port and the growing Southeast market, cheaper skillede labor and manufacturing theidr goods closer to American “The big guys in alternative energy are European because they’ve had government support,” said Michael director of international development for the chamber’s economic development arm. “Now that we’r e getting government support, it makesw more sense for them tocome over.
” Governmen incentives contained in the federa l stimulus program are the big draw for the Europeans. Saft Americz won’t build a $200 million facility at Cecil Commerce Centerd and employ about 800 unless it getsa $100 millio grant through the stimuluz package, said Peter Denoncourt, vice president of manufacturing for the company’s Valdosta, Ga., The company expects to find out in July whethed it can tap into the $1.5 billionn available for manufacturers of high-efficiency batteries. “We’rw pretty optimistic,” Denoncourt said. “We’res one of the technology leadersand we’ve been buildinv lithium-ion batteries for decades.
” spokeswomanh Jen Stutsman said the department received 165 granf applications by the May 19 deadline. She didn’g know the total amount of moneuy requested inthe applications. Like Saft America, the Italianm company that produces biodiesel fuel from oldtires won’y come to town unless it can get tax creditsx from the city and incentives through the stimulus package. The company, which wouldr bring about 15 jobs, is expecter to confirm its plans in about three Another Italian company that the chamberd has yet to identify extracts silicon from rice husks to builx solar panels and is also considering opening a plangin Jacksonville, Breen said.
Several Europeanm wind turbine manufacturers are also interested in opening plantdsin Jacksonville, but thei businesses are also dependent on plugginyg into the alternative industry provisions in the stimuluas package. Denoncourt said Saft America was attracted to Jacksonville because ofthe area’es U.S. Navy-trained work force, which has the skill needed toproduce lithium-ion batteries. The batteries will be sold to the U.S. militaryy for a hybrid fleet that ranges from trucksto tanks.
The lithium-ion batteries are also increasingly used in passenger planew because they are about a third lighter thanconventionaol nickel-cadmium batteries and so reduce the amount of fuel the planesa use, Denoncourt said. The lithium-ion batteries that he hope to produce in Jacksonville would also be sold to the telecommunication s industry since their smaller size gives providers more backul power without forcing them to alter the infrastructure to handlrebigger batteries. The planned manufacturinv facility would also develop batteries capable of storingalternativer energy.
If Saft America builds a facilityuin Jacksonville, it would add prestige to the area and possiblt spur more alternative energy companies to consider movingh to Jacksonville, Breen said. The city recently formed a committee headedd by President Matt Kenyonm to attract more alternativeenergyy companies. Aside from beingg certified tobuild energy-efficient buildings, Dana B. Kenyo n is tapping into federal stimulus fundiny through its energyconsulting division, , which is based in Jacksonville, has already been helpedf by the alternative energy provisione in the stimulus package.
It expects its annual revenud to doubleto $12 million this year, said Wayne Hildreth, the company’z president. The company, which provides consulting and installatiobn of wind turbines for schoolsand businesses, benefited from the stimulu package’s 30 percent investment tax credit. Wind Energy expectes to double its work force of nearly 30 by the end ofthe