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The LG Chem facility in Holland began shipping lithium ion batteries to General Motors Corp. in November, 2013.
(File photo | Mlive Media Group)
HOLLAND, MI – The LG Chem Michigan Inc. plant outside of Holland is planning to fill 40 new high-tech, direct hire positions after conducting a day-long job fair on Thursday, Sept. 18.
The event at the DoubleTree by Hilton Inn, 650 E. 24th St., will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m..
LG Chem spokesman Jeremy Hagemeyer told MLive and The Grand Rapids Press that the plant is producing the advanced batteries in two shifts for the Chevrolet Volt.
“We’re anticipating continued expansion over the next years and this is the first step in that direction,” he said.
Using advanced manufacturing equipment in a clean-room, climate-controlled facility, the company employs about 120 workers. Training for the new positions could range from a month to several months, Hagemeyer said.
“Prospective candidates should plan to meet with members of LGCMI’s staff to learn more about opportunities available at this leading-technology, manufacturing company,” according to a news release issued Monday, Sept. 15.
“Candidates should come prepared with a copy of a recent resume and may pre-apply online or at the job fair,” the announcement said. “Those interested in operator positions should bring their WorkKeys certificate if they already have one, otherwise it can be scheduled at the job fair.”
Open positions include:
• Production Operator, starting at $13 an hour
• Maintenance positions in electrical and mechanical
• Production engineer positions
LG Chem Michigan is a wholly-owned subsidiary of LG Chem, a South Korean company that has global operations focused on petrochemical products, information/electronic materials, and energy solutions.
The Holland factory was marked by controversy from the outset when President Barack Obama attended the plant’s 2010 groundbreaking and criticized then-U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, for showing up at the event after Hoekstra had been critical of the president's efforts to restart the nation’s economy.
Although the $303 million plant was completed in 2011 and some 200 employees were on the payroll, LG did not start production locally, instead shipping batteries from Korea as demand for the Volt lagged behind expectations. The local factory began shipping batteries for the Volt in November 2013.
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Jim Harger covers business for MLive/Grand Rapids Press. Email him at jharger@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter or Facebook or Google+.