GM Bringing 1,100 Jobs To Northeastern Ohio

LORDSTOWN, OH — After a year of lobbying and struggle on the part of workers and politicians, General Motors announced Thursday it would bring 1,100 jobs to the Lordstown area. The company will produce battery cells for electric vehicles at a new plant in the area.

“With this investment, Ohio and its highly capable workforce will play a key role in our journey toward a world with zero emissions,” General Motors CEO Mary Barra said. “Combining our manufacturing expertise with LG Chem’s leading battery-cell technology will help accelerate our pursuit of an all-electric future. We look forward to collaborating with LG Chem on future cell technologies that will continue to improve the value we deliver to our customers.”

General Motors said Thursday's announcement represents a $2.3 billion investment in the Lordstown area. The promise of new jobs comes after the company announced it would close its Lordstown factory in November 2018. When the shuttering was made public, Lordstown employed more than 1,400 hourly workers.

In the ensuing months, Ohio politicians and presidential candidates pressed the Michigan-based company to reverse its decision.

While the company isn't reopening production of previous lines, General Motors hopes to be making battery cells for electric cars for a long time. The company is developing 20 electric car models to sell worldwide by 2023.

“It is great news for Ohio that GM and LG Chem are going to build a new electric battery facility here,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said. “Ohio is a major supplier state for the automotive industry, and the announcement that Ohio will be the location to manufacture next-generation electric batteries will mean more than 1,100 new jobs for Ohioans.”

Groundbreaking on the new battery cell production facility is expected to take place in mid-2020.

When the Lordstown plant was shuttered, Democrats and Republicans worked together to pressure General Motors into reopening the production lines. U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) both met with and lobbied Barra. President Donald Trump visited the area and assured workers he was being "very tough" on Barra.

In late 2018, while delivering a speech, Barra was interrupted by a heckler who chided her for the Lordstown closing. She promised the crowd she and the company were "trying to do the right thing."