Weirton, West Virginia — Workers at Form Energy's state-of-the-art battery factory in Weirton raised the final beam, marking progress on a production schedule scheduled to begin later this year.
Since breaking ground in May 2023, Form has brought in or moved more than 250,000 cubic feet of soil, excavated more than 700 piles and more than 120 feet of ground, and built more than 3,000 tons of earth in preparation for the building. Erected steel and poured floor slabs. , poured more than 300,000 square feet of floor slabs, built floor space under the roof and permanent lighting, and built miles of plumbing and electrical wiring.
On Thursday, local officials joined Form Energy and more than 100 local employees in a ceremony to raise the final beam at Form Factory 1. The first beam was raised six months ago.
Form Factory 1 will employ at least 750 people when fully operational.
The walls of the facility are expected to be completely dry by March, and equipment is expected to begin landing in late February where buildings have already been completed to begin manufacturing and assembling the iron-air battery system. .
The initial $760 million project will be built on the site of the former Weirton Steel Mill in Hancock County and will create 750 good-paying jobs. The iron-air battery manufacturing plant is being funded by millions of dollars in private investment, but the project also has millions of dollars in public funding.
Form Energy recently held two hiring events in Weirton to begin hiring for manufacturing positions at the facility.
