Lee Seokhee, CEO of SK On, held consecutive meetings with Brian Kemp, Governor of Georgia, USA, and Benedetto Vigna, CEO of Ferrari, to discuss cooperation plans for the battery business.
Brian Kemp, Governor of Georgia, USA (center), is visiting the SK Seorin Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 24th to meet with Lee Seokhee, CEO of SK On. Photo by Yonhap News
On the morning of the 24th, CEO Lee met with Governor Kemp at the SK Seorin Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Key officials from the Georgia state government, including Pat Wilson, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, as well as major executives from SK On and representatives from various companies and institutions, were also present at the meeting.
Georgia and SK On have been maintaining close cooperation centered on the electric vehicle battery industry. SK On operates a standalone plant (SK Battery America, SKBA) with a capacity of 22 GWh in Commerce, Jackson County, Georgia. In addition, in Bartow County, SK On is building a joint battery plant with Hyundai Motor Group, investing a total of 5 billion dollars (approximately 7 trillion won) for a facility with a capacity of 35 GWh.
SK On made a preemptive investment in Georgia in 2019 and established its manufacturing subsidiary, SKBA. SKBA is regarded as one of the initial key players in Georgia’s so-called "battery belt." It has also played a crucial role in forming the electric vehicle industry belt in the southeastern United States. In recognition of SKBA’s contribution to job creation and the local community, Jackson County renamed a road near the SKBA facility to "SK Boulevard."
In the afternoon, CEO Lee also met with CEO Vigna. This was their first meeting in eight months since February. CEO Vigna had previously visited the SK Seorin Building in March last year to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with SK On for innovation in battery cell technology.
It is reported that CEO Vigna met with CEO Lee to discuss the supply of SK On batteries for Ferrari’s first electric vehicle, which is scheduled for launch next year. In addition to SK On, it is possible that CEO Vigna also met with other major Korean companies such as Samsung Display and Hyosung. Samsung Display supplies automotive OLED panels to Ferrari, while Hyosung, together with Ferrari and FMK (Ferrari’s local importer), established Ferrari Korea as a joint venture.
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