Charging Ahead: Three Illinois Projects Powering the Future of EVs

Prysmian Cable, TCCI and Lion Electric expand operations in Illinois with historic facilities focused on electric vehicle innovation and utilizing the Reimagining Energy and Vehicles in Illinois Act (REV Illinois Act), the state’s new incentives program to bolster Illinois manufacturing in the clean jobs economy by attracting companies in the electric vehicle and renewable energy sectors.

Illinois’ electric vehicle industry is heating up even further, as this summer brought three important EV developments to the state. These projects in charging, workforce training and vehicle manufacturing position Illinois to lead the nation into the electric future.

EV Incentives Draw World’s Largest Cable Manufacturer

Photo from Lion Electric.

Prysmian Group broke ground on a new $64 million expansion of its facility in Du Quoin, bolstered by an incentive package under Illinois’ Reimaging Electric Vehicles in Illinois Act (REV). The expansion will add 100,000 square feet and create 80 new jobs to Prysmian’s existing operations at the location.

The world’s largest maker of industrial, power, telecom, and other kinds of cable, Milan-based Prysmian also produces renewable energy and electric vehicle charging stations, a critical component in Illinois’ expanding electric vehicle production and goal to put 1 million EVs on the road by 2030.

The REV incentive package offers $17.7 million in tax credits. Prysmian also has access to Illinois’ skilled workforce, educated in some of the nation’s top engineering programs at Northwestern University, the University of Chicago, and the University of Illinois, as well as in the state’s innovative EV training academies.

“We had alternatives, but the government, the territory helped us … to make the decision to put the money here,” said Prysmian CEO Andrea Pirondini about investing in the Du Quoin plant.

TCCI Breaks Ground on an EV Innovation Hub and Workforce Training Academy

Another recent recipient of Illinois’ REV incentives, TCCI Manufacturing, will receive over $21 million in grants for its new EV innovation hub and workforce training academy in Decatur.

TCCI, a pioneer in electrification technology, broke ground on a new plant in July that will house one of the first American electric compressor manufacturing facilities. The facility will also play a key role in Illinois’ bold climate commitment to achieve 100% clean energy by 2050, with a new Climate Center for Innovation and Research designed to test EV capabilities in extreme weather.

Expanding on the state’s growing EV education system, the TCCI facility will be home to a workforce training academy to educate workers and create clean energy jobs within the state. Expected to open in fall 2024, the academy will partner with universities across the state.

Manner Polymers to Build Solar-Powered Manufacturing Facility

Manner Polymers, a leader in manufacturing polymer compounds, recently announced it will invest $54 million in a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Mt. Vernon. The company was drawn by the state’s central location and access to rail, its skilled workforce, and commitment to sustainability.

Photo from Manner Polymers.

The new 80,000-sq-ft facility will create 60 new jobs and will be powered by a 15-acre solar field located on site. A major industry landmark for sustainability, the facility will be the first of its kind solar-powered PVC compounding plant running on clean energy generated on premises.

The Texas-based company makes components used in a multitude of industries and products, including electric vehicles. The company was the second in Illinois to receive incentives under the state’s REV Illinois act.

As one of the nation’s largest flexible PVC compounders, Manner Polymers serves markets across a broad range of industries. The new Illinois facility is expected to open in fall 2025, increasing the company’s production capacity by 100 million pounds and strengthening the supply chain for an entire ecosystem of industries.