Amplify Cell Technologies broke ground in Byhalia, Miss., last week on a billion-dollar vehicle battery production facility, a new joint venture from three commercial vehicle manufacturers: Accelera by Cummins, Daimler Truck, and PACCAR.
The joint venture will localize battery cell production for commercial vehicles, invest $1.9 billion into a Marshall County facility, and create more than 2,000 new jobs with an average annual salary of approximately $66,000. The economic development project represents the largest payroll commitment of any major project in Mississippi history. Additionally, at $1.9 billion, this is the third largest economic development project in state history.
“Amplify’s purpose is to manufacture cutting-edge battery technology to power zero-emission trucks across all of America,” CEO Kel Kearns said.
“Two thousand, good-paying, full-time jobs. A hundred and thirty million dollars in payroll. It’s going to be paid out to our people every single year,” Governor Tate Reeves said. The payroll for those jobs could average $65,000 a year.
“That will support future growth. It’s a generational impact that will improve the lives of citizens in Marshall County and the surrounding areas,” said Charles Terry with the Marshall County Board of Supervisors.
“We’ve never had a project over $1.5 billion announced in our state ever, and over a 15-month period we had not one, not two, but three,” Reeves said. He added that Friday’s groundbreaking is proof that Mississippi is on a winning streak. “We can compete with anyone, anywhere in the world for these types of projects,” Reeves said.
Officials expect as many as three thousand workers will be involved in construction. Production is scheduled to start in 2027.