Quest for electric cars brings hundreds of jobs and billion-dollar steel plant to Calvert

MOBILE, Ala. (WPMI) — More good economic news for South Alabama In what is expected to be a major boost for America’s electric car industry.

ArcelorMittal, the company that owns the AM/NS steel plant in Calvert just north of Mobile has just announced a plan to build yet another steel plant on that site, bringing with it hundreds of construction jobs and permanent jobs as well.

The steel that this new plant will produce is crucial material in building electric cars and trucks because of its special conductivity of electricity.

Apparently, America doesn’t make enough of the stuff.

But soon, Alabama will, right here in our own back yard.

The current AM/NS steel plant in Calvert is big, employing more than two thousand workers.

Monday’s announcement means the real big plant is about to get even bigger.

ArcelorMittal will build an additional plant at the site off Highway 43, capable of producing 150 thousand metric tons of steel every year, but not the steel its sister plant is already producing.

This steel, called “non-grain-electrical steel” is an essential material used in electric cars that makes them more efficient.

And that’s important, because right now, the Federal Government has a goal of having 50% of all new cars and truck produced in America to be electric. That essential steel, they say, should be produced right here in America, and right here in Alabama.

So what made the company decide to build here?

A 30% federal tax credit to make this special steel plant happen-a tax credit that will save the company 280 million dollars.

Do the math, and that puts this entire investment in Calvert right around a billion dollars!

What does that mean for Mobile and surrounding communities?

1,300 construction jobs while the plant is going up, about 260 permanent jobs after its done.

The new plant will take advantage of a river terminal and rail yard already existing for the current plant.

And when the new steel is ready, perhaps more Alabama drivers will take advantage of it.

According to the US Department of Energy, right now there are a few more than 8,700 electric vehicles registered to Alabama drivers.

That’s far less than 1% of all registered vehicles on the road in the state.