Battery recycling company eying Clinton location
A battery recycling company is looking to build a storage facility in Clinton.
Michael Vogel, CEO of Evolve Renewable Materials, spoke at the Monday, Sept. 18, Anderson County Commission meeting about the property at 1671 Lake City Highway.
The commission approved his request to rezone the tract from general commercial district to light industrial district. His company is based at 159 Mitchell Road, Oak Ridge.
He said the company currently employs 10 people in Oak Ridge. He estimated adding another five to 10 employees with the Clinton facility. He said he expects the company to grow from there, creating more jobs.
He described his company’s operations as “circular,” recycling old battery components into new ones.
“Essentially, our goal as a company is to sustainably electrify the United States through the creation of our industry-leading, low-emissions, green lithium battery recycling technology, as I said, being developed right here in Anderson County,” he told the County Commission.
“We’re working on developing industry-leading technology here in Oak Ridge.”
He said he wanted to make the Clinton property his company’s “universal waste warehousing facility.”
He said it would receive and sort batteries at the end of their lives before shipping them to a processing facility in Oak Ridge.
He said Anderson County is a good location due to its scientific community, closeness to the Eastern Seaboard, corporate tax provisions, and existing battery manufacturing industry.
“We are pleased to be creating clean jobs here in Anderson County,” he said.
He estimated $30 million in revenue from the existing Oak Ridge and proposed Clinton facilities over the next five years.
Commissioner Tim Isbel made the motion to approve the rezoning, and Commissioner Tyler Mayes seconded the motion.
It passed unanimously among all members present.
Commissioner Phil Yager was absent.
