MCALESTER, Okla. — McAlester City leaders said a $164 Million partnership with American Li-Ion to bring a battery factory to town will spark new growth for the community. American Li-Ion is a company that takes used batteries and turns them into new ones for laptops, phones, and drones.
Janai Riddle lives in McAlester and works downtown at Pink Pop. Riddle said the new factory would be great for the community.
"It's a way to get us to expand, more population, get different businesses, bring other bigger businesses in," said Riddle.
Hannah Clunn, who lives near McAlester, agreed.
"Job opportunities are slim, so making a decent amount of money would be great," said Clunn.
Kevin Hobbie, the company president, said the building process will keep things local.
"We're going to use local welders, local dirt work, local builders," said Hobbie.
Hobbie said the facility will bring up to 300 full-time jobs, with salaries ranging from $65,000 to $125,000.
Their new plant will occupy 25 acres at Steven W. Taylor Industrial Park, located off Highway 31.
McAlester Mayor Justin Few said this was a massive development for the city.
"Oh, it's exciting, we're always looking for ways to better the people here in McAlester," said Few.
Hobbie said they expect to finish building the factory by late 2026. Clunn said she had questions about the project.
"I heard it's a battery recycling plan, but what does that entail for the jobs?" said Clunn.
2 News asked Few what the responsibilities of the jobs could look like.
"Loading and unloading with a forklift… To a mid-level supervisor," said Few.
Residents online also expressed concerns about the environmental impact. 2 News asked Few about this, and he added that any water the company uses will not be discharged into the city's sewage system.
Riddle said she was excited about the project's future.
"I'm excited to see what new things and new opportunities it will bring, said Riddle.
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