Friday, May 15, 2009, 1:34pm EDT  |  Modified: Friday, May 15, 2009, 1:47pm

Planar seeks to reopen battery plant

Orlando Business Journal - Richard Bilbao

Planar Energy Devices Inc. is seeking $56 million in federal stimulus funds to finance the purchase of a $150 million shuttered lithium ion battery plant in Gainesville.

Reopening the plant would produce up to 1,500 jobs, the company said.

The Orlando-based company filed an application May 15 with the U.S. Department of Energy to seek stimulus funds set aside for moving batteries into high-volume production.

“The influx of stimulus dollars will allow Planar to immediately begin manufacturing operations in [the facility], which is expected to create more than 200 direct jobs and potentially 1,000 indirect jobs by 2012,” said Jeremy Susac, executive director of the Governor’s Energy Office, in a prepared statement.

The total project investment, if successful, can exceed $120 million, as well as generate a direct and indirect payroll of $628 million and $2.3 billion in Florida sales activity, the state said.

Planar is also seeking to expand its research and development headquarters in Orlando by adding 25 new staff, and having up to 250 employees working at the 150,000-square-foot facility in Gainesville.

“We can have [the facility] up and running and producing batteries in weeks, and it gives us the capability to immediately address the needs of customers, from automotive manufacturers to defense contractors, who currently rely heavily on batteries made off-shore,” said Scott Faris, Planar CEO, in a prepared statement.

Planar Energy Devices Inc. is an Orlando-based, privately-held developer, manufacturer and marketer of metallic-lithium solid state battery products for electrical and automotive uses.