EaglePicher Technologies, LLC (Inkster, MI; www.eaglepicher.com), a leading producer of batteries and energetic devices for the defense, space and commercial industries, and the City of Joplin, MO, announced the construction of a new 24,000-square-foot facility for the development and production of lithium-ion (Li-Ion) cells and batteries for U.S. military critical applications. The facility will be located in the Crossroads Industrial Park in Joplin, Missouri.

The new facility is being constructed by Crossland Construction Company, Inc. (Columbus, KS; www.crosslandconstruction.com) and will include dryrooms and cleanrooms fabricated by Scientific Climate Systems, Inc. (Houston, TX; www.dryrooms.com). The rooms will be used for critical process steps with dedicated air handling systems for each process. The facility will also have a full diagnostic laboratory on-site, paperless tracking of all cell and battery build and performance data, PLC capability and bar coding for all process steps. EaglePicher Technologies is investing over $10 million in the new facility.

The new building will be designed to maximize lean manufacturing and to minimize contamination risk. Internationally known independent laboratories will perform cell performance certification and environmental qualification. The facility will also include state-of-the-art security features.

Construction will be completed on or before December 29, 2006 and product production is expected to begin by the fourth quarter of 2007. EaglePicher expects up to 100 new high-tech employees in the facility within 3 to 5 years.