Italian EV company to establish U.S. HQ in Charlotte, creating 300 new jobs

Driving the news: Alpitronic Americas LLC, a high-power electric vehicle charging station manufacturer, will invest more than $18.3 million to establish its U.S. headquarters in Charlotte, according to a statement from Gov. Cooper’s office.

• The new HQ will be in a 70,000-square-foot facility at 5815 Westpark Dr.

By the numbers: The move will create 300 new jobs in Mecklenburg County with an average annual salary starting at $90,158, which is above the county’s $80,349 average salary. The company’s expansion is estimated to boost the state’s economy by $832 million, per Cooper’s office.

Why it matters: Charlotte is competing with other cities as companies cautiously expand their physical footprint amid economic uncertainty. Greenville, S.C, and Phoenix were also considered for the project, per the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance.

Incentives: To support the move, local and state governments are offering about $3 million in incentives and grants, the bulk of which come from the state over a number of years.

• Of note: Alpitronic won’t receive any incentives until it has met certain job-creation criteria.
• As part of the deal, $775,750 will be moved into the state’s Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account, which helps rural parts of the state fund infrastructure improvements to attract future business.

Details: The headquarters will also include a technology, test and repair center for Alpitronic’s EV charging stations. New positions will mostly include product developers, engineers and service technicians, according to the city. The company will also hire finance and accounting, human resources, IT and sales personnel.

Context: Alpitronic is a branch of Alpitronic SRL, which is based in Bolzano, Italy, and was founded in 2009.

The big picture: The Charlotte region is becoming a destination for electric vehicle jobs, manufacturing and R&D.

• British EV maker Arrival, for instance, established its North American headquarter in South End.
• Atom Power, which makes EV charging technology, announced recently it’s expanding its headquarters and manufacturing operations in Huntersville.
• And in a deal announced this week, Charlotte-based Albemarle Corp. reached an agreement to deliver battery-grade lithium hydroxide to support Ford Motor Company’s EV production.

What they’re saying:  “Within the next few years we expect a strong growth of our business based on our reliable high-performance charging solution, which is contributing to the transition towards e-mobility for passenger vehicles and trucks,” Alpitronic SRL CEO Philipp Senoner said in a statement.