Workers: Local battery maker lays off most of its employees


Andy Knight, The Herald Bulletin, Anderson, Ind.
Wed, June 21, 2023 

June 21—ANDERSON — A locally based lithium-ion battery manufacturer laid off nearly all of its employees this week, including an undetermined number at its 73rd Street headquarters.

According to social media posts from several employees, EnerDel Inc. informed affected workers of the layoffs Monday, and a member of the company's leadership team confirmed the decision later in the day.

"Unfortunately, all my team members are laid off today," Bob Hong, who led the company's engineering department, wrote on LinkedIn. "They are very great battery engineers in different functions and they have to look for a new job. If you are hiring or you know someone is hiring, please reach out to me."

It was unclear Wednesday how many employees at the Anderson location were affected, but various media accounts placed the total number of U.S. EnerDel workers from 60 to 152.

Local business leaders expressed surprise and disappointment in the news, noting that the layoffs come as competition for government subsidies to assist in manufacturing batteries and other renewable energy sources is intensifying. Electric vehicle makers and battery producers increasingly are bringing overseas production back stateside.

"It's really disheartening to see a layoff of this scale in the community, but particularly in the green energy space," said Clayton Whitson, president and CEO of the Madison County Chamber of Commerce. "This is an industry that will continue to grow, and to see a green company facing challenges like this ... it's hard."

Early last year, EnerDel announced it was moving its headquarters to Anderson from Indianapolis following its acquisition by a board member. In July 2022, the company announced the opening of an advanced engineering technology center in Irvine, California, to be staffed by an additional 25 workers.

The company apparently has faced financial headwinds in recent months. According to the Indianapolis Business Journal, EnerDel CEO Steve Heir sent an email in May notifying employees that two potential significant investors in the business had backed out.

Whitson said the chamber and local economic development officials would be proactive in looking for ways to help the company restart its operations, at least in Anderson.

"It's hard for me to speculate without knowing the root causes of the situation they're in," Whitson said. "Certainly with green renewable energies and battery operations, things are competitive right now. Until we are more ready to embrace green energy, there are limited contracts to be had."

A message requesting additional information and comments left at the company's headquarters Wednesday was not returned.

Follow Andy Knight on Twitter @Andrew_J_Knight, or call 765-640-4809.