By Nathan Bomey
Business news director
Posted: Sat, Nov 26, 2011 : 2:48 p.m
Battery maker A123 Systems, which has been celebrated as one of Michigan's biggest alternative energy successes, laid off 125 workers at its Livonia and Romulus battery plants this week, according to a report by the Observer & Eccentric.
It was not immediately clear whether there were additional cuts at the company's research-and-development center Ann Arbor's Research Park, where the company has about 35 workers.
A123 spokesman Dan Borgasano told the Observer & Eccentric that the company expects "to be calling these people back in six months or less" and attributed the move to a reduced battery order from California electric vehicle startup Fisker Automotive.
A123 was one of Michigan's biggest winners of federal economic stimulus funding and also won major battery tax credits from the state government. In 2009, A123 received a $249 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy and more than $125 million in tax credits from the Michigan Economic Development Corp.
The Massachusetts-based company, which said earlier this year that it hired its 1,000 Michigan worker, promised in 2009 to create 5,000 Michigan jobs.
A123 also said in August that it would add jobs in Michigan after winning a contract to produce electric vehicle battery components and packs for General Motors. (FULL STORY HERE)
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