In Economic Development, everyone knows it’s a team sport. The Chippewa Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) could not do what we do without our collaborators and supporters. One such supporter and collaborator is the Focus on Energy team. Energy efficiency and energy usage are key variables in any economic development project. Thus, having a group that has expertise in that subject only makes sense.
In 2022 CEDC’s Project GBM began their site selection for their U.S. based headquarters. The company was introduced to an idle Frac Sand Facility, one of Western Wisconsin’s largest, located in Chippewa Falls, WI. CEDC worked with the new owners who purchased the 80-acre property by providing due diligence information to potential businesses that wanted to operate within the closed frac sand complex. One particular prospect – Project GBM – a company operating in the electric battery space, was connected early on in the site selection process to Focus on Energy by CEDC. Focus on Energy led discussions on how the former frac sand facility (when remodeled) could be adapted for better energy efficiency.
Project GBM has announced their commitment to Chippewa Falls, WI. The company – Collaborative Engineering Services, a U.K.-based company stated that they will be opening a new electric vehicle battery repurposing facility where once the Frac Sand Plant operated. Collaborative Engineering Services was founded in Oxford, England, home to the renowned university, is also a hub for vehicle production and high-tech businesses. The company will spend between $12-$15 million and create around 40 jobs within the next 3 years. At the site, they will provide engineering, project management, and electric battery pack repurposing and product enhancement.
Collaborative Engineering Services values the importance of reducing their carbon footprint and having their facility be a model in energy efficiency is important. The Focus on Energy team has met several times with Collaborative Engineering Services via Zoom and continues to provide design-assistance expertise on the most cost-effective energy projects the company’s design team should pursue. The current idle facility will be renovated – making it eligible for Focus on Energy’s New Construction program incentives.
This project announcement wouldn’t have been possible without having an efficient and energetic team working together to create opportunities in Chippewa Falls.