Manufacturer to expand in Joplin, creating 100 jobs

EaglePicher Technologies plans to expand its existing Joplin facility and add new jobs. The defense and aerospace manufacturing company said it is investing $20.9 million in a new energetics facility and administration building at its Joplin headquarters. The expansion is expected to create 100 jobs.

The new facility will feature state-of-the-art advancements in manufacturing technology with semi-automatic capabilities, according to the company. Advanced software for data retrieval will be housed at the new building.

EaglePicher Technologies has more than 700 total employees with 600 at its Joplin headquarters. The company said the jobs added with the expansion will pay an average wage “well above the county average.”

EaglePicher Technologies produces batteries, power-supply products and energetic devices.

The Joplin area is home to four EaglePicher manufacturing sites and a separate research and development facility. Joplin focuses on reserve, primary and secondary cells and batteries along with energetic devices, according to the company’s website. The 100,000-square-foot Lithium-Ion Center of Excellence was built in 2014 “following the award of the U.S. Government Title III program to support the domestic production of lithium ion for military applications.”

Joplin city officials are excited about the expansion.

“This is truly a landmark development for the City of Joplin,” said Travis Stephens, President and CEO of the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce, in a statement. “The wage levels and number of jobs that will follow are significant and the appreciation of the leadership of Steve Westfall and the Tuthill family, and their vision for EaglePicher, cannot be understated.”

The company will benefit from the Missouri Works program for the expansion. It’s a tool that helps companies expand and retain workers by providing access to capital through withholdings or tax credits for job creation. The company may also receive assistance from Missouri One Start, a division of the Department of Economic Development. Missouri One Start assists eligible businesses with their recruitment and training needs.