SK Signet has celebrated the grand opening of its EV charger manufacturing facility in Plano, joined by Plano Mayor John Muns as well as Adriana Cruz, Executive Director, Economic Development and Tourism, and other officials from the State of Texas. This facility will expand U.S.-based manufacturing and R&D for cutting-edge electric vehicle charging equipment to support the growth of America’s EV infrastructure. The project was originally announced in November 2022 by SK Signet and the City of Plano.
Adriana Cruz, executive director for the Texas Economic Development & Tourism, cuts the ribbon on Monday, June 5, to mark the opening of the SK Signet manufacturing facility in Plano, Texas. The new plant will make ultra-fast chargers for electric vehicles.
At full capacity, the facility will be able to produce more than 10,000 ultra-fast chargers per year and is expected to create up to 183 jobs by 2026.
“SK Signet is thrilled to be opening this facility in Texas,” said SK Signet CEO Jung Ho Shin. “The opening of the SK Signet factory means new jobs for Texas and more chargers for American EV owners. We couldn’t have accomplished this without the close partnership of the State of Texas and the City of Plano.”
SK Signet CEO Jung Ho Shin addresses the crowd of government and business partners at the grand opening Monday, June 5, of the SK Signet EV charger manufacturing facility in Plano, Texas.
“We are proud that SK Signet has chosen Plano, Texas, for this significant investment,” said Governor Greg Abbott, “The company’s new state-of the-art facility will not only create new manufacturing jobs for hardworking Texans, but will advance critical EV infrastructure for our state and the nation. Thanks to innovative leaders like SK Signet, Texas is leading the way on future technology which will power the Texas of tomorrow.”
The event included a factory tour, and Mayor Muns and CEO Shin led a demonstration of SK Signet’s new V2 charger, which will be made at the Plano facility later this year. The V2 product, which was unveiled at CES 2023, provides a maximum power output of 400 kW and can charge an EV up to 80% in 15 minutes – 3 minutes faster than existing chargers.
SK Signet welcomed representatives from key customers of SK Signet, such as EVgo, Applegreen Electric, Electric Era, Revel, and TeraWatt Infrastructure.
SK Signet will make a range of ultra-fast chargers at the Plano facility – from standalone dispensers to power cabinets that support multiple dispensers – for use by U.S.-based public charging operators, along with commercial companies with EV fleets and traditional gas stations or convenience stores that are expanding their offerings. SK Signet will also manufacture its 350 kW ultra-fast charger, which can fully charge EV batteries from 20% to 80% in just 18 minutes.
Jeong Joon Yu, SK Group Vice Chairman and Head of U.S. Government and Corporate Affairs, speaks on Monday, June 5, at the grand opening of a new SK Signet EV charger manufacturing facility in Plano, Texas.
These chargers, which supply EV users with faster and more versatile charging solutions, support the buildout of a national EV charging network and are aligned with the goals of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program. SK Signet’s investment in Texas reinforces the leadership role that the U.S. has taken in the EV transition, and the importance of training American workers to succeed in the highly skilled jobs that have been created as a result.
“We are very excited for the grand opening of SK Signet in the City of Plano,” said Mayor Muns, in remarks at the event. “Their investment in our community represents a significant milestone that holds immense promise for our community and beyond. The company’s innovative technology and EV charging capabilities are remarkable and we are thrilled to be home to their first manufacturing facility in the United States.”
In addition to manufacturing EV chargers, SK Signet’s Texas facility will house research and development teams, manufacture power modules for EV chargers and conduct charger testing with automakers. It also will develop EV charging software and firmware to support U.S. customers.