[Santa Clarita] – Today Quallion, a leading developer and manufacturer of advanced lithium ion battery systems, announced the opening of its factory which produces lithium-ion materials for U.S. Government satellites. Congressman Howard P. “Buck” McKeon and Department of Defense official, Mark Buffler spoke at the ribbon cutting ceremony to recognize this significant milestone in increasing the domestic control over important national security resources.

Quallion’s new factory produces specialized materials for lithium ion batteries. This facility represents a US Government investment of over $60 million the domestic manufacturing base for defense technology, funded by the Department of Defense Title III Program. The facility will provide a secure, domestically owned, and domestically based source of materials that are critical to the production of batteries for Government satellite missions.

U.S. Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon

The materials produced at this plant are used in anode (negative electrode) and cathode (positive electrode) fabrication. The particular chemistry of these materials ensures that satellite batteries can last for more than 10 years with more than 60,000 charge-discharge cycles, and it has never before been manufactured in the United States. Quallion has also built US Government funded facilities at its Sylmar, CA headquarters for the production of cathode materials and manufacturing of lithium ion cells for satellites.

Domestic manufacturing will ensure availability of these critical materials regardless of shifting global alliances, and it will provide 100% traceability and quality control to prevent contamination in the supply chain that would adversely affect the performance of the lithium ion cells.

Combined, these production facilities provide a vertically integrated manufacturing process for the domestic production of satellite batteries. This project expands Quallion’s satellite battery capabilities and can support further business and job growth in other market segments. Combined these projects will create over 50 jobs at a wide range of skill levels.

“The Quallion facility epitomizes the best attributes of public/private partnerships that establish domestic production sources that not only sustain our national defense capabilities but also create state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities that are economically and technologically competitive in the world marketplace,” said Mark Buffler, Program Director, Defense Production Act.

“The Title III funded project has been critical in assisting Quallion’s business expansion from manufacturing lithium ion cells exclusively for high-technology medical applications to becoming a premier designer and supplier of lithium ion cells for aerospace and other military applications.,” said Jeff Goldberg, CEO of Quallion LLC. “Quallion is proud to support the men and women of the US military with cutting edge technology to help ensure our country’s security.”

About Quallion LLC

The U.S. based company designs, fabricates and manufactures state-of-the-art lithium ion cells and battery packs, and develops new battery chemistries for the military, aerospace, medical and automotive industries. Building on its legacy leadership position in the medical device industry, the company has developed a range of novel enabling technologies that include the world’s smallest implantable secondary battery and the proprietary Zero-Volt(TM) and SaFE-LYTE(TM) technologies. Leveraging its core engineering capabilities, Quallion has established itself as a leader in applications where advanced battery technology, safety, reliability and custom engineering are most valued. Quallion LLC was founded in 1998 by biotechnology and aerospace entrepreneur Alfred E. Mann. For more information about Quallion, visit www.quallion.com.

About Title III

The Title III Program (a DoD-wide program), developed from the Defense Production Act (an existing legislative mechanism which supports the financing of technologies deemed essential for national defense),focuses on accelerating transition of new technologies from research and development to efficient and affordable production and finally to insertion of these technologies into defense systems.   Title III Programs play an important role in the advancement of domestic production capabilities for a wide range of leading edge technologies necessary to strengthen our national security.  The program provides financial incentives to industry to make investments in production capabilities and resources.