By 1812Blockhouse, Press Release
It didn’t take long for another major announcement of new manufacturing investment in the Columbus area after the recent Intel decision.
And while by itself it may not impact the Richland County area as extensively as Intel, the announcement is a harbinger of remarkable growth coming that may well be felt locally.
This time, it’s a $297 million investment in returning the headquarters and manufacturing for Hyperion Companies, Inc. to central Ohio from the Los Angeles area. The result will be the largest new factory in Columbus in a decade.
According to the company, The facility will also house a research and development center in addition to its manufacturing operations.
Hyperion will invest more than $297 million in the new facility to manufacture its next-generation hydrogen fuel cell, which will power its new line of stationary and mobile energy storage products, including its XP-1 hypercar. The investment will create more than 680 net new, full-time permanent positions over the next six years, with an annual payroll of up to $58 million. Founded originally in Columbus in 2011, Hyperion’s return to the city comes as other hydrogen technology startups and manufacturers have also recently made Columbus home.
Angelo Kafantaris, CEO of Hyperion, and Ohio native said, “After 10 years of development, we are thrilled to bring our hydrogen technology back to Columbus where it all started. Building the XP-1 allowed us to test and refine our fuel cell technology, allowing us to create the most advanced green hydrogen fuel cell stack for a number of different applications. With its ability to store mass quantities of electric energy, hydrogen has tremendous long-term, zero-emission potential for the energy sector, and will be one of the most powerful tools in reducing carbon emissions on a global scale.”
Mayor Andrew J. Ginther said, “Columbus’ west side has always been a hub for manufacturing and innovation, and Hyperion will bring a fresh wave of investment and activity that will create opportunity for residents in Westland, the Hilltop and beyond. Columbus’ public and private sectors are committed to leadership in clean energy, technology, cutting-edge manufacturing and the future of mobility, and I am delighted that Hyperion will join us in driving our growth.”
J.P. Nauseef, JobsOhio president and CEO, said, “Ohio is poised to lead in the development of hydrogen fuel cells, and Hyperion Companies, Inc. has invested significant resources in developing cutting-edge solutions in advancing this technology to support the automotive, transportation and energy storage industries. JobsOhio plans to provide assistance following the company’s achievement of operational milestones as Hyperion moves forward to establish a new headquarters and R&D center in the Columbus Region.”
Hyperion chose to revitalize the storied building that once housed the printing operations of the Columbus Dispatch because the layout and operations of the highly advanced roll-to-roll printing hub mirror those of a high-yield fuel cell membrane coating process. Between the ideal technical capabilities of the building, the hydrogen supplier network already in place in Ohio as well as the depth of the local R&D talent, Hyperion will be able to fast track its operations and begin production in 2023.
Photo: Creative Commons License
