< Previous168 MARCH 2025 SITE SELECTION to caution that these estimates are an in-place assessment. We have not estimated what is technically recoverable based on newer methods to extract lithium from brines.” Supply Meets Demand The USGS says the U.S. relies on imports for more than 25% of its lithium. The agency estimates there is enough lithium brought to the surface in the oil and brine waste streams in southern Arkansas to cover current estimated U.S. lithium consumption. The low-end estimate of 5 million tons of lithium present in Smackover brines is also equivalent to more than nine times the International Energy Agency’s projection of global lithium demand for electric vehicles in 2030. As reported in the 2025 Arkansas Economic Development Guide produced by Conway Custom Content, 60 years of bromine production in the region has literally laid the groundwork for work in the lithium space. “Among the projects looking to access the lithium deposits found in the Smackover Formation in southern Arkansas,” reported Site Selection’s Adam Bruns, “are Vancouver, B.C.- based Standard Lithium with more than $1.6 billion of plans in Lewisville and El Dorado (in addition to East Texas); ExxonMobil’s big plans for Walker Creek; and Albemarle’s opportunity to layer lithium processing on top of the $540 million it’s investing at its two bromine facilities in Magnolia, where the company has operated for over 50 years and employs more than 400 people.” “Standard Lithium’s focus is to build a U.S. lithium supply chain,” said Robert Mintak, Standard Lithium’s former CEO who recently retired to an advisory post for the company. “We’ve targeted the Smackover location in Arkansas because not only is it the highest grade, but it’s in a region where you can actually build a project.” In Oklahoma in January, USA Rare Earth, LLC announced the successful production of its first batch of sintered permanent rare earth magnets at its new Innovations Lab currently under development in Stillwater. Rare earth magnets are essential for a wide range of applications, including defense systems, electric and hybrid vehicles among other automotive systems, renewable energy and electronics. “Our new Innovations Lab, which we will finish building out in the coming months, is already flexing its muscles, helping us achieve a key step in our company’s evolution,” said Joshua Ballard, CEO, in a company release. “We will soon begin producing customer prototypes in support of future sales as we work towards starting commercial production at our manufacturing facility in 2026.” The Smackover Formation in the South-Central U.S. shows great promise for future lithium production. Source: USGS170 MARCH 2025 SITE SELECTION An aerial photo from September 2024 shows the existing (center) and future (top right) Riverview Commerce Park area in Herculaneum, Missouri. Photo courtesy of St. Louis Regional Freightway F or the third year in a row, the bi-state St. Louis metro area tops all the cities and towns along the entire Mississippi River corridor by total number of corporate facility investment projects. Fort Madison, Iowa, with a population of just over 32,000, takes the per-capita title. Both areas can look to the chemicals industry as one element in their success. The rankings are based on projects that qualified for the Conway Projects Database between July 2023 and December 2024 by meeting at least one of three criteria: at least $1 million invested, at least 20 new jobs created or at least 20,000 new sq. ft. of space. A January release from the St. Louis Regional Freightway, an organization promoting the freight capabilities of the eight counties in southwestern Illinois and eastern Missouri that comprise the St. Louis region, noted the region’s chemicals industry (which includes pharmaceuticals) has attracted more than $250 million in new investment in recent months. Included in that total are a $180 million, 100-job expansion by Procter & Gamble on the riverfront in North St. Louis and MilliporeSigma’s $76 million, 170-job expansion of antibody drug conjugate manufacturing capacity at its Bioconjugation Center of Excellence in St. Louis. P&G’s St. Louis facility, approaching its 100th anniversary in 2027, produces brands including Cascade, Mr. Clean, and Febreze. The company’s expansion includes the addition of new equipment and a new warehouse at its existing north St. Louis riverfront location, the conversion of an existing warehouse to a manufacturing facility and the construction of a new office building, said the release. Another riverfront project figures to boost the economy from the metro region’s southern section: In September 2024 the Jefferson County Port Authority (JCPA) announced a $20 million acquisition that is resulting in the first publicly owned terminal facility in Jefferson County at Riverview Commerce Park, 35 miles to the south of St. Louis proper. Situated below any lock and dam system, the terminal provides a direct shot to the Gulf of Mexico and robust connections to Class I rail and multiple Interstates. “The port facility and surrounding acreage anchors a broader 300-acre site that earlier this year received Port District zoning, making way for redevelopment as an intermodal transportation hub and industrial park,” said Jim McNichols, executive director of the Jefferson County Port Authority. Eventual plans include new container-on-vessel service connecting the Midwest and the St. Louis region to the lower Mississippi River and beyond. Iowa Region a Tri-State Catalyst Projects in Fort Madison, located in Iowa’s southwest corner near Illinois and Missouri, include a $15 million investment from Climax Molybdenum, a Freeport-McMoRan Company. Since 1977, the company has operated the world’s largest and highest quality producer of lubricant grade molybdenum disulfide and other upgraded molybdenum chemical products. The company’s investments also extend to other riverfront property: The Freeport McMoRan Foundation in December donated $50,000 toward a playground that’s part of the rejuvenation of downtown Fort Madison’s riverfront alongside a new marina. The micropolitan area also includes Keokuk, a community 20 miles to the south variously known as “Power City” and the “Geode Capital of the World,” where Allied Blending is expanding its operation. And soil microbe purveyor Holganix Midwest is pursuing a $3.5 million expansion at its site in tiny West Point, Iowa, with a population of fewer than 1,000. All three communities are Chemistry by ADAM BRUNS adam.bruns@siteselection.com A Certain Chemistry MISSISSIPPI RIVER CORRIDOR SITE SELECTION MARCH 2025 171 in Lee County, where one of every four jobs is in manufacturing. Lee County Economic Development Group in September received a 2024 Excellence in Economic Development Gold Award from the International Economic Development Council and was named the economic development organization of the year in the 25,000 – 200,000 population categories. Among the group’s accomplishments is the Lee County Fiber Project, a $5.4 million investment to create a 14-mile fiber backbone and redundant fiber ring. BY TOTAL PROJECTS METRO/MICRO PROJECTS 1. St. Louis, MO-IL 126 2. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 109 3. New Orleans-Metairie, LA 63 4. Baton Rouge, LA 47 5. Memphis, TN-MS-AR 23 T6. St. Cloud, MN 13 T6. Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL 13 8. Paducah, KY-IL 8 9. Quincy, IL-MO 5 10. La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN 4 BY TOTAL PROJECTS PER CAPITA METRO/MICRO PROJECTS POPULATION Fort Madison, IA 3 32,565 Paducah, KY-IL 8 102, 267 Blytheville, AR 3 38,663 Quincy, IL-MO 5 74,259 Union City, TN 2 30,411 New Orleans-Metairie, LA 63 962,165 St. Cloud, MN 13 202,577 Dyersburg, TN 2 36,498 Baton Rouge, LA 47 873,661 Muscatine, IA 2 42,218 2024 TOP MISSISSIPPI RIVER CORRIDOR METROS172 MARCH 2025 SITE SELECTION ILLINOIS T wo years after Stellantis’ Belvidere Assembly Plant was indefi nitely idled, the automaker has announced plans to reopen the facility. e decision follows mounting pressure from United Auto Workers (UAW), which blasted Stellantis for the delay in following through on a agreement to reopen the plant. Frustrations led to rallies, marches, strike threats and formal grievances as part of the union’s “Keep the Promise” campaign. While the UAW’s eff orts played a key role in holding the company accountable, the Biden administration also applied political pressure, off ering vital support in the form of a $ million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to by LINDSAY LOPP lindsay.lopp@siteselection.com STELLANTIS IS HERE TO STAY Automaker to reopen operations in Illinois From 1965 to 2023 the Belvidere Assembly Plant produced various vehicle models for Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep, including the 2022 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk. Photo courtesy of Stellantis174 MARCH 2025 SITE SELECTION help convert the Belvidere plant to electric vehicle production. In December , following these developments, former Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares resigned, and new North American COO Antonio Filosa was appointed. Filosa has emphasized that working with UAW to strengthen Stellantis’ presence in the U.S. market is among his top priorities. Shortly thereafter, Stellantis Chairman John Elkann met with President Donald Trump and several administration offi cials in Washington to discuss potential changes in trade and manufacturing policies under the new administration and the company’s eff orts to align with the U.S. economic agenda. Just days later, on January , the UAW announced that Stellantis plans to reopen the Belvidere Assembly Plant by to produce a new mid-sized truck, alongside a string of additional commitments. Rumors that the company was considering moving Dodge Durango production to Canada were a hot contention between Stellantis and the UAW. is concern was put to bed following the company’s pledge to build the next generation Rivian in April 2024 produced its 100,000 vehicle in Normal, where the company has invested more than $2 billion thus far. Photo courtesy of Rivian Selected Top Projects by Capital Investment COMPANY CITY INVESTMENT $M T5 Data Centers Grayslake 10,000 Psiquantum Corp. Chicago 1,000 Avina Clean Hydrogen Chicago 820 Stack Infrastructure Elk Grove Village 400 Cyrusone Aurora 350 Source: Conway Projects Database BY THE NUMBERS ILLINOIS Total Rev. as Share of Total Expenses, FY 2008-22: 95.29% Industrial power cost per kWh: $8.20 2021 Workers’ Comp Index Rate: 1.39 Number of NCRCs: 162,000 | Percent Improved 2023–24: 0.61% Higher Ed. R&D Expenditure in $000s: 3,307,153 Business Tax Climate Rank Change 2024–2025: 0 SITE SELECTION MARCH 2025 175 of Dodge Durango at its Detroit Assembly Complex. Stellantis has also announced a significant investment in Kokomo, Indiana, where it will launch Phase II of the GME-T4 EVO engine in 2026, reversing prior plans to shift work out of the U.S. It will also maintain production of the GME-T4 EVO engine at the Dundee Engine Plant in Michigan and increase component manufacturing at the Toledo Machining Plant in Ohio. “This victory is a testament to the power of workers standing together and holding a billion-dollar corporation accountable,” said UAW President Shawn Fain in a statement. “We’ve shown that we will do what it takes to protect the good union jobs that are the lifeblood of places like Belvidere, Detroit, Kokomo and beyond.” When the facility shut down in February 2023, approximately 1,000 workers lost their jobs. Now, as the facility is preparing to reopen, Stellantis 176 MARCH 2025 SITE SELECTION facility is preparing to reopen, Stellantis expects to bring back nearly twice as many positions. “Growing up in Rockford, just down the road from the Belvidere Assembly Plant, I’ve seen fi rsthand how layoff s impact our communities,” said Representative Eric Sorensen (D-IL) in a press release. “ at’s why this announcement of , jobs coming back is so personal — and so important. I’m proud to have fought alongside UAW workers to hold the big auto companies accountable and make this happen. is isn’t just about bringing manufacturing home. It’s about giving Rockford- area families the good-paying jobs they deserve to support their families and thrive.” Employment Engine Over the last fi ve years, the electric vehicle industry has emerged as one of the most powerful generators for job creation in Illinois. New facilities are bringing life to local economies, creating employment opportunities in urban centers and rural regions alike. In addition to Belvidere, Rivian is creating more than full-time jobs over the next fi ve years in Normal; Lion Electric expects to create at least , jobs in manufacturing, battery assembly and customer support in Joliet; and Gotion plans to hire , full-time employees at its EV battery plant in Manteno. e Reimagining Energy and Vehicles (REV) Illinois Program has played a key role in this. e program, which was designed to spur the creation of clean energy-related job opportunities, has drawn manufacturers to the state with the promise of tax incentives, infrastructure investments and workforce development initiatives. Growing up in Rockford, just down the road from the Belvidere Assembly Plant, I’ve seen fi rsthand how layoff s impact our communities. at’s why this announcement of 1,500 jobs coming back is so personal — and so important.” — Eric Sorensen , U.S. Congressman Growing up in Rockford, just down the road from the Belvidere SITE SELECTION MARCH 2025 177 The strategy is clearly working. Illinois is now home to more than 1,000 companies across the EV supply chain, including auto, battery and charging station manufacturers. Corporate investment in the state’s clean energy economy has also doubled over the last year, increasing from $2 billion in 2023 to $4 billion in 2024. Leaning Into Innovation Illinois is taking bold steps to diversify its clean energy sector to continue this momentum. Crysalis Biosciences is investing $239.5 million to develop a first-of-its-kind sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production plant downstate in Sauget, Illinois, just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis. Announced in September, the new facility will transform a previously shuttered 57-acre ethanol plant into a cutting-edge biorefinery capable of producing low-carbon SAF. “There is no better state equipped for the sustainable fuel industry than Illinois,” said Governor JB Pritzker in a press release. “With a $239.5 million investment through REV Illinois, Crysalis Biosciences will build a groundbreaking sustainable aviation fuel plant right here in our state — advancing our mission to drive economic growth while reducing our carbon footprint. This marks a new era of clean energy production for Illinois, and we’re just getting started.” The facility will produce between 5,000 and 10,000 barrels of SAF daily and feature a carbon intensity score that is 90% lower than traditional fossil-based jet fuel. Due to the company’s investment and commitment to creating 35 new jobs, Crysalis will receive the first REV incentives secured for a sustainable aviation fuel manufacturing project from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). In another major development, Avina Clean Hydrogen publicized plans to establish an SAF production plant in Illinois in December. Backed by an investment of $820 million, the company aims to construct a facility capable of producing up to 120 million gallons of SAF annually using KBR’s alcohol-to-jet technology. The investment is expected to prevent an estimated 25 million metric tons of carbon emissions annually and create at least 150 full-time jobs and 1,000 construction jobs in the southwest region of the state. The company is also developing a liquefied green hydrogen facility in northern Illinois. Like Crysalis, Avina Clean Hydrogen will also receive REV incentives from DCEO. The REV agreement states the facility is to be constructed on 90 acres in East St. Louis in St. Clair County and create 157 new jobs by the end of 2029. In a statement, Vishal Shah, founder and CEO of Avina Clean Hydrogen, emphasized the strategic advantages of the SAF site, noting the access to rail and pipeline infrastructure, which will allow for efficient delivery of SAF to Chicago O’Hare and other major airports throughout the Midwest. Next >