KEMET Corp. recently announced the signing of a $31.7 million contract with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory. This contract is based on the $15.1 million grant awarded on August 5, 2009, as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Electric Drive Vehicle Battery and Component Manufacturing Initiative, plus a $16.6 million matching investment by KEMET.

KEMET has been working with the DOE on the details of the contract since that original announcement. The contract will enable the company to produce film and aluminum electrolytic capacitors within the U.S. to support alternative energy products and emerging green technologies such as hybrid electric drive vehicles.

“We are aiming to have two production lines operational by the last quarter of the current calendar year, with an additional two lines coming on board by the end of 2011 and another two by the end of 2012,” said Johnny Boan, Ph.D., KEMET’s senor director of Business Development and the project lead in securing this grant.

“The grant will allow KEMET to install capacity in the United States for DC bus capacitors, which reduces the supply chain risk that electric drive vehicle manufacturers face with the current dependence on non-United States suppliers for this key subcomponent,” said Daniel Persico, Ph.D., KEMET’s vice president of Strategic Marketing and Business Development. “This grant will position KEMET as a key player in this rapidly developing and growing industry. Customer response has been very favorable.”

The additional capacity resulting from this grant will create over 110 new jobs in South Carolina. Hiring for these positions will start later this year, and the company will make an official announcement at the beginning of the hiring process. KEMET’s website is located at www.kemet.com.