John Deere to build battery and charger manufacturing plant in Kernersville

Gov. Roy Cooper announced this week a new battery and charger manufacturing plant will be built in Kernersville.

John Deere Electric Powertrain will invest $69.6 million to establish a new North American headquarters and build the facility. The LLC is a joint venture between Deere and Company and Kreisel Electric, which develops battery technology. 

According to a news release, the move will create at least 50 new jobs in Forsyth County.

The factory will produce Kreisel battery packs for high performance and large, off-road equipment as well as other charging technology.

New positions created by the company will include quality inspectors, material handlers and assemblers.

John Deere will break ground on the new facility in the fall. Production is expected to start in 2025.