Gov. Laura Kelly and Rep. Sharice Davids are among the area leaders who helped break ground on the Panasonic plant Wednesday.
A new phase of the Panasonic battery factory’s construction began Wednesday morning, as local government and business leaders gathered for a groundbreaking ceremony in De Soto.
The day’s biggest announcement centered around when mass production will begin at the factory — March 2025. De Soto leaders were also present at the groundbreaking, and the De Soto school district was awarded a $25,000 check from Panasonic North America.
Leaders have said the $4 billion battery plant will bring 4,000 jobs to the area.
The Panasonic development and contribution to the school system are ways the state of Kansas is helping future generations, Gov. Laura Kelly said.
“Our historic investments in K-12 and higher education have supported a talent pipeline and outstanding workforce,” Kelly said. “We’re making it possible for them to live and raise their families here so that this state continues to grow for generations to come.”
Kelly took questions from members of the media following the groundbreaking, and was asked about her administration’s correspondence with Reno, Nevada, which also has a plant nearby, and the potential housing crisis that may follow an influx in population.
“We’ve been working with the De Soto community,” Kelly said. “At the state level, we’ve invested a whole lot more into housing to encourage development, and we fully expect that to happen.”
In terms of workforce training, Kelly wants to encourage local people to apply for jobs with Panasonic once the factory is up and running. A training center will develop out of the Kansas Bioscience Authority, creating a workforce for Panasonic.
“That will broaden out with a partnership with Johnson County Community College,” Kelly said.
Tim Cowden, president of the Kansas City Area Development Council, said the Kansas City region is cementing its place as a leader in the transit industry.
“We are incredibly proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with Panasonic as they revolutionize the global transportation industry from the center of the most dynamic economy in the world,” Cowden said.
Lt. Gov. David Toland described trips the state’s delegation took ahead of the announcement in July, including to Tokyo and Reno, Nevada, where the Tesla Gigafactory is.
These trips and conversations helped create trust between state leaders and Panasonic, Toland said.
“We are so grateful to our partners and friends at Panasonic,” Toland said. “We feel the weight of the trust you have placed in us with this investment. We believe what we are building together is a relationship, which will benefit not only your company and our state, but society itself.”
Kazuo Tadanobu, president and CEO of Panasonic, said this factory will be important for many reasons including local economic development, but it will also help expand production of lithium-ion batteries in North America.
“With our leading technology, proven expertise, and the state of Kansas as a critical partner, we will continue driving the industry forward while pursuing a more prosperous and sustainable future for our society,” Tadanobu said.
This project does not signal the end of economic development efforts in Kansas — far from it, Kelly said.
“We will continue doing everything we can to attract great businesses here, create jobs, and grow our economy,” Kelly said. “We are just getting started.”
Reach reporter Abby Shepherd at [email protected]