State Funds will Help Construct Battery Technology and Manufacturing Facility Supporting 19 New Jobs and the Commercialization of Next-Generation Batteries

Empire State Development today announced Natrion, a producer of innovative battery components for electric vehicles, energy storage, and defense applications, has selected 575 Ludwig Avenue in Cheektowaga as the location for its new production facility. The start-up specializes in rechargeable lithium and sodium battery technology. The project supports the broader New Energy New York initiative, whose goal is to create a National Hub for Battery Innovation and Manufacturing.

"It is critical for New York State to play a leading role in the research and development of advanced, cutting-edge, and innovative energy technologies. The United States and the world are seeing unprecedented demand for safe and economic energy storage for electric vehicles and grid modernization, which must be sourced using the most resilient and sustainable supply chains," said Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight.

Natrion is a leading battery material pioneer developing the intellectual property and components needed to secure future clean energy goals. Started in 2018, the company produces Active Separator, an advanced solid-state electrolyte separator made from a material called Lithium Solid Ionic Composite (LISIC) that is designed to enhance the performance, safety, and lifespan of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. The flagship Active Separator offering has received various industry awards for its innovative design as well as numerous Department of Defense contracts. While headquartered in Binghamton, New York, Natrion will be establishing its global manufacturing center in a new facility in Cheektowaga to increase Active Separator production capacity 40-fold. At full utilization, the new site is anticipated to be capable of supplying the equivalent of approximately 11,000 electric vehicles annually.

As a longstanding partner to the U.S. Department of Defense, Natrion has also secured capabilities to produce its Gen-1 Active Separator material entirely in the U.S. with only domestic materials. The company's supply chain is fully insulated from tariff interruptions, making it ideal for manufacturers seeking IRA-compliant American-made components.

Natrion CEO and founder Alex Kosyakov said, "We have already successfully initiated commercial-scale production at the Cheektowaga site and are making tremendous progress in getting the Cheektowaga site up and running at full operation throughout. Our team is immensely grateful for the level of support that has been brought to bear by NY State. We quickly understood that the wealth of innovation and manufacturing talent and resources available in Western NY made it the best place for us to locate and grow our production operations. Our aims now are to secure the US battery supply chain with on shored componentry and contribute to local workforce development and job creation."

Empire State Development (ESD) is assisting the project with up to $250,000 through the performance-based Excelsior Jobs Tax Credit Program to support Natrion's creation of 19 new jobs over the course of five years. Natrion also recently received a $1.5 million investment through New York Ventures as part of the company's recent capital raise.

Nation's project is also supported by more than $1.3 million in New York Power Authority (NYPA) funding under its Western New York Power Proceeds program. The NYPA funding award is made possible through net earnings resulting from the sale of unused hydropower generated at the Niagara Power Project.

Thomas Kucharski, President & CEO, Invest Buffalo Niagara said, ""Our role at Invest Buffalo Niagara is to connect the dots. For Natrion, that meant providing hands-on project management, identifying the right site, coordinating with utilities, and aligning available incentives. By working side by side with our state and regional partners, we ensured that this innovative company had every reason to choose Buffalo Niagara. Together, we're building on our region's manufacturing legacy while creating new opportunities for growth in next-generation technologies."

Invest Buffalo Niagara has helped nearly 150 manufacturing companies expand or relocate to WNY, that boasts a cluster of over 1,600 employers including AMDOR, Bridgestone, Plug Power, MedBio, and New Flyer. The organization helps to bring other manufacturers to a region that has over 56,000 highly trained workers in the field, ranging from working in automotive fields, semiconductors, medical devices and much more.

For more information please visit www.natrion.com.

About Empire State Development
Empire State Development (ESD) is New York's chief economic development agency (www.esd.ny.gov). The mission of ESD is to promote a vigorous and growing economy, encourage the creation of new job and economic opportunities, increase revenues to the State and its municipalities, and achieve stable and diversified local economies. Through the use of loans, grants, tax credits and other forms of financial assistance, ESD strives to enhance private business investment and growth to spur job creation and support prosperous communities across New York State. ESD is also the primary administrative agency overseeing the Regional Economic Development Councils and the marketing of "I LOVE NEW YORK," the State's iconic tourism brand. For more information on Regional Councils and Empire State Development, visit www.regionalcouncils.ny.gov and www.esd.ny.gov.