Following news earlier this week about General Motors and Samsung investing $3.8 billion in building an EV battery plant in St. Joseph’s County, just west of Elkhart, Indiana, there has been discussion about how the 1,600 expected jobs will be filled, especially in light of all the RV manufacturing in the region. Officials say they are not concerned.
Even with a tight labor pool, officials aren’t overly concerned about the ability of GM and Samsung SDI to ultimately attract the more than 1,600 employees needed to operate their planned EV battery plant beginning in 2026.
“We have about 20,000 people a day traveling into St. Joseph County from neighboring counties,” South Bend Regional Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jeff Rea said. “At the same time, we have about 18,000 leaving daily to work in neighboring counties.”
That shows workers are willing to travel for the right job, even if it involves a drive, he said, adding that he believes the GM/Samsung plant will be able to draw workers from as far as 60 miles away.
Economic development officials in LaPorte and Marshall counties have said as much, believing that the massive $3.5 billion plant is bound to create a lift throughout the region by providing additional opportunities for workers and vendors, housing options for commuters, and even locations for potential suppliers.
“I talked to people about the Rivian plant in central Illinois, and they say a 90-minute commute is possible,” Marshall County Economic Development Corp. President and CEO Greg Hildebrand said. “People are willing to travel for a good-paying position.”
To read the full report from Ed Semmler in the South Bend Tribune, click here.
