Billerica company unveils a new way to make batteries
The company held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday to celebrate the completion of its 'Customer Success Center,' essentially a dry room and an electrode manufacturing production line that allows clients and potential customers to do test runs, or hire AMB to make the electrodes for them. Shi was joined at the event by US Representative Lori Trahan, state interim economic development secretary Ashley Stolba, and Lily Fitzgerald, of the quasi-public Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, among others.
Roughly half the cost of the $5 million center was funded through a state grant provided through MassTech.
Electrodes are key components in batteries; most batteries rely on a liquid mixture to create a slurry applied to the electrodes that helps them store and release energy. But AMB's technology uses a coating of dry powder instead, and as a result is more efficient and requires less manufacturing space to make the batteries. (Plus, AMB says it's better for the environment, by avoiding the use of harmful solvents and reducing the energy demand.)
Manufacturing batteries, Shi said, involves a careful balance of cost, performance, and sustainability. Usually, battery makers have to compromise on one aspect, but Shi said AMB's process excels in all three areas and helps enable battery manufacturers to expand here in the US.
Advertisement
'All the battery makers realize this should be the future of manufacturing,' Shi said.
Shi said a 'Battery Day' held by Elon Musk in 2020, in which the Tesla chief executive highlighted the importance of coming up with more efficient ways of building batteries through a dry-coating process, helped draw investors' attention. AMB raised $25 million in 2022, and another $44 million in the following two years based on dry-electrode technology developed by Worcester Polytechnic Institute professor Yan Wang and Heng Pan, now at Texas A&M University. AMB's investors include TDK Ventures, Toyota Ventures, and Anzu Partners.
Advertisement
The company has doubled its workforce in the past year, adding 25 new jobs, with plans to add 15 more in 2025.
The potential for new jobs is one reason MassTech committed state funding to the project, along with the role the facility can play in helping anchor the area's growing ecosystem of battery companies.
'We have to get better at making batteries,' said MassTech's Fitzgerald. 'We think there's a really good value proposition here to keep electrode manufacturing in Massachusetts [with] such a strong potential for job creation.'
This is an installment of our weekly Bold Types column about the movers and shakers on Boston's business scene.
Jon Chesto can be reached at
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Eater
2 days ago
- Eater
A King Co-Owner Opens an Intimate Chinese American Wine Bar
Lei, a new wine bar, opens on Friday, June 6, on one of Chinatown's most historic streets, at 15-17 Doyers Street, along a winding car-free stretch of the neighborhood. It joins a new wave of Asian American wine bars that opened within a mile of each other in Lower Manhattan over the past year, like Ha's Snack Bar, a Vietnamese bistro, and Sunn's, serving Korean small plates, expanding what today's New York wine bars look and feel like. 'Doyer Street is just so iconic [and] historically significant,' says Lei's owner Annie Shi. Much of the open real estate in Chinatown is passed through word of mouth; it took time to find the right spot. There were various points where she wasn't sure she was going to be able to open a wine bar there, but she finally signed the lease in December 2024, just days out from her water breaking and giving birth. Across the board, Lei has been a labor of love; it's named 'as an homage to Shi's late sister Hannah (Lei was her Chinese given name),' per the release. Shi has made a name in New York for herself alongside Jess Shadbolt and Clare De Boer, partnering on King, in the West Village, and Jupiter, in Rockefeller Center, both with European-leaning menus. She'll remain involved in both, but Lei is her independent endeavor (much like De Boer has with her spot Stissing House). Lei references a modern take on the Chinese cooking that the Rego Park, Queens native grew up with, interwoven with her years as a restaurant owner and beverage director — a project she's been dreaming of for years. In a slender storefront like this one, even the smallest design details must be considered. There's no basement, so wine director and Heroes alum Matt Turner's bottle storage had to be thoughtfully positioned. And there's the all-electric kitchen: 'Obviously, gas is incredibly important for wok cooking, but to be frank, there are so many better places that do wok cooking around us, that's not going to happen here. So, okay, what else can we explore in Chinese cookery that is different?' she says of wanting to be considerate to the neighborhood. She added that she looked to wine bars in Paris, where they do so much with electric hookups, for some creative thinking. 'Steaming [and braising] is a big part of Chinese cooking that is suitable for wine because it's a little bit more delicate, you retain a lot of the natural flavors of the ingredient,' she says. For some, the electric set-up and small kitchen combo would be intimidating, but Lei's chef Patty Lee, an alum of Mission Chinese, says: 'I think the worst thing that can happen to you is having a blank canvas and staring at that. I feel more creative the more constraints there are.' The two spent a lot of time chatting through their collective dream menus. It's an edited list: There are fewer than 15 dishes on the menu, split into hot and cold sections. The hand-rolled cat's ear noodles, which Shi describes as a less 'rustic' version than what she grew up with, are tweaked to pair with wine and served with lamb braised in cumin and tomato. It's the kind of place to find specials that might include items like three-cup fresh squid, a play on the Taiwanese three-cup chicken. Lee also adapted a chrysanthemum salad recipe from her days running Kichin in Bushwick (which closed during the pandemic), on trend with other towering salads of late. 'The dressing is 90 percent tea that's been blended with vinegar — it feels like a bit more grown-up than the Vitasoy juice box.' While they considered outsourcing, Lee is making the sesame bread, shaobing, from scratch, served with a pat of butter. 'It's so delicious and kind of unexpected,' says Shi. Every wine bar needs its dessert: Lei will have two because Lee says she's 'such a sweets fiend.' To start, a guava shaved ice with pineapple guava, guava jelly, and tapioca; then there will be an eight treasure pudding with sticky toffee and vanilla ice cream. It's a take on a dessert staple of Chinese New Year, that Shi says her dad is obsessed with to the point that he keeps a freezer stockpile. 'Every family has a different version of what the eight treasures are. So it could be like black sugar, walnuts, or red bean,' Shi says. Overall, the idea is for the 24-seat Lei to be a walk-in-friendly spot. 'We really thought about what the difference is between a wine bar and a restaurant, and we wanted to make sure to keep that more casual feeling,' says Shi. There will be standing room at the intimate bar. Chinatown has many celebratory BYOB spots, and Shi wants Lei to offer something 'complementary.' She says, 'the idea was you can totally have a meal if you want, but more importantly, if you are going to dinner somewhere in the neighborhood' — on just this block alone, there's spots like Nom Wah Tea Parlor, Chinese Tuxedo, Taiwan Pork Chop House, and Tasty Hand-Pulled Noodles — 'you can stop by for a glass of wine before or after your meal to kind of make it a full evening.' Sign up for our newsletter.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
AM Batteries Opens Doors to Customers, Expediting Electrode Sales for Next Generation Batteries
The Massachusetts company opened its Customer Success Center to provide customers with an ideal testing environment for new battery technology BILLERICA, Mass., June 05, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AM Batteries, a pioneer in dry battery electrode (DBE) technology, opened its state-of-the-art Customer Success Center Monday, enabling the development of next-generation batteries with advanced manufacturing technology. AM Batteries' new facility will play a crucial role in ongoing efforts to secure the U.S. battery manufacturing supply chain. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by U.S. Representative Lori Trahan (D-MA) and Massachusetts' Interim Secretary of Economic Development Ashley Stolba. AM Batteries has developed an advanced process for the manufacturing of electrodes, a critical component in any battery. The company's proprietary Powder to Electrode™ dry coating method enables 30% lower capital costs, 50% lower operating costs, 45% less energy consumption, and a 5x smaller factory footprint compared to conventional wet coating methods. AM Batteries equips battery manufacturers of all sizes with turnkey manufacturing systems — from custom electrodes to specialized equipment to deep process expertise. "Our dry-electrode process helps battery manufacturers dramatically reduce costs without sacrificing quality and performance," said Lie Shi, CEO of AM Batteries. "With the opening of this facility, we're entering a new chapter—one that supports both AMB's growth and the American battery revival." AM Batteries' dry battery electrode technology is chemistry agnostic, providing customers unprecedented flexibility to test a plethora of materials in this dry-room environment. This flexibility allows manufacturers to use different chemistries, such as moisture-sensitive high-nickel cathode materials that have been shown to extend electric transportation ranges and allow defense drones to operate longer in extreme temperatures. "The opening of AM Batteries' new Customer Success Center marks a major milestone in strengthening our domestic battery supply chain and creating good-paying, future-ready jobs right here in Billerica," said Congresswoman Lori Trahan of Massachusetts' third district. "By investing in cutting-edge clean energy technologies like dry electrode manufacturing, AM Batteries is helping to position Massachusetts – and the United States – as a global leader in next-generation battery innovation." "The opening of AM Batteries' Customer Success Center is a testament to Massachusetts' leadership in fostering innovation and creating a thriving ecosystem for advanced manufacturing," said Interim Secretary of Economic Development Ashley Stolba. "We are grateful to have AM Batteries in our state, driving groundbreaking technological advancement that benefits our economy and creates high-quality jobs for Massachusetts." The center was established in large part by the $2.3 million awarded to AM Batteries from the Massachusetts Manufacturing Innovation Initiative (M2I2), a program run by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative's Center for Advanced Manufacturing. "The M2I2 program was created to bridge the gap between innovation and commercialization in manufacturing. The opening of this AM Batteries facility is an important milestone in the growth of the Massachusetts advanced manufacturing sector and brings good-paying and sustainable jobs to the Commonwealth," said Lily Fitzgerald, Director of the Center for Advanced Manufacturing at the MassTech Collaborative. "Massachusetts is a hub where innovative climatetech companies like AM Batteries can truly flourish," said Dr. Jennifer LeBlond, Managing Director for Emerging Climatetech at the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. "At MassCEC, we're committed to accelerating climate solutions that not only drive down energy costs but also create quality jobs. We're proud to support AM Batteries through our InnovateMass program, as they work to reduce the carbon footprint of battery production, and make clean energy storage more affordable and scalable." "WPI is proud to be a partner in the innovation ecosystem that supports companies like AM Batteries," said Grace Wang, President of WPI. "It's especially meaningful to see their dry battery electrode technology, which was originally developed at WPI, move toward commercialization. This work reflects our deep commitment to applied research and developing real-world solutions to global challenges in sustainable energy and advanced manufacturing." About AM Batteries: AM Batteries (AMB), headquartered in Billerica, MA, is at the forefront of dry-electrode manufacturing technology for lithium-ion batteries. Compared to the conventional slurry-casting approach, the company's powder to electrode dry-coating method eliminates the need for harmful solvents and electrode drying, reducing electrode manufacturing CAPEX by up to 30% and OPEX by over 50%. AM Batteries' manufacturing equipment not only reduces the carbon footprint of battery plants by 5x, but also enables higher energy density, faster charging, and more cost-effective batteries. As a turnkey equipment supplier for battery manufacturers, the company is committed to advancing sustainable, high-performance battery manufacturing and building a robust ecosystem around dry coating technology. For more information, visit About the Center for Advanced Manufacturing at MassTech The mission of the Massachusetts Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CAM) is to foster the most complete, collaborative and agile manufacturing ecosystem to enable business growth from innovation through production. CAM is a division of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech), a public economic development agency tasked with supporting business formation and growth in the Commonwealth's tech and innovation sectors. CAM provides a path for manufacturing growth through a connected, accessible ecosystem that supports innovation, workforce development and a business-friendly environment. CAM-managed programs include the Massachusetts Manufacturing Innovation Initiative (M2I2), the MassBridge manufacturing training program and the portal. Learn more at View source version on Contacts Sam
Business Wire
3 days ago
- Business Wire
AM Batteries Opens Doors to Customers, Expediting Electrode Sales for Next Generation Batteries
BILLERICA, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AM Batteries, a pioneer in dry battery electrode (DBE) technology, opened its state-of-the-art Customer Success Center Monday, enabling the development of next-generation batteries with advanced manufacturing technology. AM Batteries' new facility will play a crucial role in ongoing efforts to secure the U.S. battery manufacturing supply chain. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by U.S. Representative Lori Trahan (D-MA) and Massachusetts' Interim Secretary of Economic Development Ashley Stolba. AM Batteries has developed an advanced process for the manufacturing of electrodes, a critical component in any battery. The company's proprietary Powder to Electrode™ dry coating method enables 30% lower capital costs, 50% lower operating costs, 45% less energy consumption, and a 5x smaller factory footprint compared to conventional wet coating methods. AM Batteries equips battery manufacturers of all sizes with turnkey manufacturing systems — from custom electrodes to specialized equipment to deep process expertise. "Our dry-electrode process helps battery manufacturers dramatically reduce costs without sacrificing quality and performance,' said Lie Shi, CEO of AM Batteries. 'With the opening of this facility, we're entering a new chapter—one that supports both AMB's growth and the American battery revival.' AM Batteries' dry battery electrode technology is chemistry agnostic, providing customers unprecedented flexibility to test a plethora of materials in this dry-room environment. This flexibility allows manufacturers to use different chemistries, such as moisture-sensitive high-nickel cathode materials that have been shown to extend electric transportation ranges and allow defense drones to operate longer in extreme temperatures. 'The opening of AM Batteries' new Customer Success Center marks a major milestone in strengthening our domestic battery supply chain and creating good-paying, future-ready jobs right here in Billerica,' said Congresswoman Lori Trahan of Massachusetts' third district. 'By investing in cutting-edge clean energy technologies like dry electrode manufacturing, AM Batteries is helping to position Massachusetts – and the United States – as a global leader in next-generation battery innovation.' 'The opening of AM Batteries' Customer Success Center is a testament to Massachusetts' leadership in fostering innovation and creating a thriving ecosystem for advanced manufacturing,' said Interim Secretary of Economic Development Ashley Stolba. 'We are grateful to have AM Batteries in our state, driving groundbreaking technological advancement that benefits our economy and creates high-quality jobs for Massachusetts.' The center was established in large part by the $2.3 million awarded to AM Batteries from the Massachusetts Manufacturing Innovation Initiative (M2I2), a program run by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative's Center for Advanced Manufacturing. 'The M2I2 program was created to bridge the gap between innovation and commercialization in manufacturing. The opening of this AM Batteries facility is an important milestone in the growth of the Massachusetts advanced manufacturing sector and brings good-paying and sustainable jobs to the Commonwealth,' said Lily Fitzgerald, Director of the Center for Advanced Manufacturing at the MassTech Collaborative. 'Massachusetts is a hub where innovative climatetech companies like AM Batteries can truly flourish,' said Dr. Jennifer LeBlond, Managing Director for Emerging Climatetech at the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. 'At MassCEC, we're committed to accelerating climate solutions that not only drive down energy costs but also create quality jobs. We're proud to support AM Batteries through our InnovateMass program, as they work to reduce the carbon footprint of battery production, and make clean energy storage more affordable and scalable.' 'WPI is proud to be a partner in the innovation ecosystem that supports companies like AM Batteries,' said Grace Wang, President of WPI. 'It's especially meaningful to see their dry battery electrode technology, which was originally developed at WPI, move toward commercialization. This work reflects our deep commitment to applied research and developing real-world solutions to global challenges in sustainable energy and advanced manufacturing.' About AM Batteries: AM Batteries (AMB), headquartered in Billerica, MA, is at the forefront of dry-electrode manufacturing technology for lithium-ion batteries. Compared to the conventional slurry-casting approach, the company's powder to electrode dry-coating method eliminates the need for harmful solvents and electrode drying, reducing electrode manufacturing CAPEX by up to 30% and OPEX by over 50%. AM Batteries' manufacturing equipment not only reduces the carbon footprint of battery plants by 5x, but also enables higher energy density, faster charging, and more cost-effective batteries. As a turnkey equipment supplier for battery manufacturers, the company is committed to advancing sustainable, high-performance battery manufacturing and building a robust ecosystem around dry coating technology. For more information, visit About the Center for Advanced Manufacturing at MassTech The mission of the Massachusetts Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CAM) is to foster the most complete, collaborative and agile manufacturing ecosystem to enable business growth from innovation through production. CAM is a division of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech), a public economic development agency tasked with supporting business formation and growth in the Commonwealth's tech and innovation sectors. CAM provides a path for manufacturing growth through a connected, accessible ecosystem that supports innovation, workforce development and a business-friendly environment. CAM-managed programs include the Massachusetts Manufacturing Innovation Initiative (M2I2), the MassBridge manufacturing training program and the portal. Learn more at
