Battery-separator company Natrion just opened its new production headquarters in Buffalo, New York. Born out of a $1.3 million grant from the New York Power Authority (NYPA), this manufacturing hub will allow Natrion to expedite product creation and amplify its market presence.
Natrion, backed by investors including TechNexus Venture Collaborative and Mark Cuban, is developing critical advanced components to power electric vehicles and more. The startup has partnerships with organizations like the U.S. Department of Defense and LG Energy Solution.
“We have a mature product that people really want, and that's why we had to make the investment in this production capability,” Natrion Founder Alex Kosyakov (pictured) said. “With this Buffalo site, we're going to be able to deliver at volume and be in the market in a more meaningful way.”
Natrion, which has a dual headquarters in Illinois and Western New York, said the support of the NYPA coupled with the strength of the local workforce in the area could result in additional local production facilities.
This new facility will be home to 19 new employees, with one of whom, Ashish Bhandari, at the helm. A former General Motors and Tesla employee, Bhandari is now Natrion’s Vice President of Operations and will manage the Buffalo site.
Bhandari views the ease of use and “drop and go” nature of the product as its largest asset. Engaged with several of the top 10 global automakers and receiving significant traction from the Department of Defense and national security, Natrion is poised to make waves in the lithium battery space, and this new facility could expedite that process.
“Coming from Tesla, I know that they wouldn't even look at an opportunity like this if you had to retool their line,” Bhandari said. “They're most interested in getting the most effective battery out the door. Our material facilitates that without huge total costs on their end. So a lot of these companies are interested because of that reason.”
“Our new Buffalo facility is a testament to our commitment to domestic battery manufacturing and innovation,” Kosyako added. “The strategic location in Western New York provides us with access to a skilled workforce and a robust industrial ecosystem, and the support from the New York Power Authority is instrumental in accelerating our growth and our mission to deliver safe, high-performance battery solutions.”