Goshen updates Manteno plant: $2 billion investment, 300 employees, safety upgrades and local partnerships
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Summary
Goshen told the village it has invested about $2 billion at its Manteno facility, employs roughly 300 people now with plans to expand to 2,600, and described safety systems, local-hiring goals, educational partnerships and roughly $400,000–$450,000 in community contributions to date.
Mark Bridal, a representative of Goshen, told the Planning & Zoning board that the company’s Manteno facility is “still the $2,000,000,000 private investment that we’re making at that facility” and described five main production lines for energy storage and electric-vehicle products.
Bridal said the plant currently employs about 300 people and has recently hired 35 more, with a long-term staffing goal of 2,600 once additional development is complete. He said about 19% of the workforce is from Manteno, 62% from Kankakee County and roughly 80% live within 40 minutes of the plant. He described hourly wages ranging from about $22 for entry-level positions to roughly $44 for technicians and characterized the benefits package as “very good.”
On safety, Bridal said the plant builds with lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) chemistry and stressed the difference from older NMC cells, saying LFP is “much, much less volatile” and that, in his words, a puncture produces warming and steam rather than sustained flames. He described upgrades to meet 2024 fire-code requirements, including a full sprinkler system, a VESDA detection system for fumes, localized fire suppression at production cells and use of F-500 suppression agents tested with the Manteno Fire Department.
Bridal also said Goshen is pursuing LEED certification for the refurbished Kmart building and is working to localize some supply-chain components. He described community investments and donations he said total “over $400,000, $450,000” so far, including transition costs for the fire department’s suppression agents and donations to the school system.
Trustees asked about recruiting and local hiring plans; Bridal pointed to the company’s K–12 pathway work, relationships with local high schools and Kankakee Community College, and sponsorships of local STEM and robotics programs. He said some EV production lines are expected to be commissioned in the first quarter of next year and that lines are flexible to make multiple products.
