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International Manufacturer of Electric Vehicle Components Selects KC Region for North American Headquarters

by Laura Phillips | Aug 02, 2023

New Century, Kan. – August 2, 2023 – The Kansas City Area Development Council announced today that international company Cnano Technology USA, Inc. plans to invest $94.7 million in a 333,000-square-foot manufacturing facility at the New Century Commerce Center. The new facility is expected to create 112 jobs with a payroll of $7.1 million.

Cnano will use the new facility to create liquid conductive paste, a component used for a variety of electronic applications, including batteries for electric vehicles, cell phones and power tools.

“Cnano Technology is incredibly excited to partner with Johnson County to build out a new U.S. facility to manufacture conductive and structural additive products for the lithium-ion battery, rubber and polymer, and composite markets,” said Shawn Montgomery, president of Cnano Technology USA, Inc. “We're proud to bring cutting-edge technology, investment dollars and, most importantly, jobs to the region.”

Located in Johnson County in the southwest area of the Kansas City region, the New Century Commerce Center is a multimodal industrial center offering direct access to air, rail and interstate transportation over 2,700 acres.

“We are pleased to welcome Cnano to the New Century Commerce Center, joining over 60 multinational businesses who are leaders in the fields of warehousing, distribution, printing, food processing, manufacturing and avionics,” said Johnson County Board of County Commissioners Chairman Mike Kelly. “In addition to the more than 110 jobs this company will create, I appreciate the science and innovation coming into our community and look forward to the impact EV batteries will ultimately make towards decreasing vehicle emissions and helping to protect our planet.”

Cnano’s new facility will be located in a Class-A spec building in the Commerce Center, which was developed in an 850-acre public-private partnership, publicly by Johnson County Government and the Johnson County Airport Commission, privately by VanTrust Real Estate and marketed by CBRE. Newmark Zimmer represented Cnano in their site search.

“VanTrust is proud to partner with Johnson County as the master developer for the New Century Commerce Center. When fully completed, we expect to have more than 7 million square feet of industrial space developed. We welcome the significant new investment and manufacturing jobs that the area will experience due to Cnano’s selection of New Century for their North American headquarters,” said Justin Duff, vice president of VanTrust Real Estate.

The Kansas City region continues to see massive industrial growth, particularly in the area of electric vehicle development, recently including Panasonic Energy’s plans to build a $4 billion electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility in De Soto, Kansas.

“As a thriving hub for manufacturing and logistics, the Kansas City region is a highly attractive choice for innovative companies, including Cnano, to locate their operations,” said Chris Gutierrez, president of KC SmartPort. “With the most central location in the U.S., available real estate options and access to more than 190,000 skilled industrial workers, KC continues to stake its claim in the attraction of industrial innovation.”

A leading North American logistics hub and key location for manufacturing, distribution and e-commerce, the Kansas City region has delivered 70 million square feet of industrial development in the last ten years and employs more than 190,000 people in the manufacturing and logistics industry.

About Cnano Technology
Cnano Technology USA is a world leader in the production of engineered nano-carbon products used in energy storage applications. Cnano Technology has a commitment to the research and development, production, and sales of carbon nanotubes and graphene, as well as application development. A global technical pioneer, Cnano Technology’s commercial applications include materials for lithium-ion batteries, conductive polymer composites, antistatic coatings, tire rubber reinforcement and other markets.  For more information, contact Cnano Technology USA at (888) 451-4283.

About VanTrust Real Estate, LLC
VanTrust Real Estate, LLC is a full-service real estate development company that has been named NAIOP's 2023 Developer of the Year. The company acquires and develops real estate assets for the Van Tuyl family portfolio and offers a broad range of real estate services including acquisition, disposition, development, development services, corporate services, and asset management. Product types include office, industrial, multifamily, science + technology and mixed-use. VanTrust works nationally with regional offices in Columbus, Dallas, Phoenix, and Jacksonville with its headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri. For more information, visit www.vantrustre.com.

About the Kansas City Area Development Council (KCADC)
Serving the 18-county, two-state Kansas City area, the Kansas City Area Development Council is an economic development nonprofit that promotes the region’s business and lifestyle assets to companies and talent around the world. Working closely with its two states, and 50-plus county and community partners, the region has attracted more than 64,000 new jobs over its 45-year history. KCADC also leads the efforts behind the KC Animal Health Corridor, KC SmartPort, TeamKC, KC Global Design and KC Heartland. thinkKC.com

About Greater Kansas City
Home to 2.5 million people, Kansas City is a vibrant metro in the heart of the U.S., known as the “KC Heartland.” The KC region is a center for leading industries including technology, logistics, animal health and entrepreneurship, and is home to a renowned arts community. www.KC.org

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