by Karen Brune Mathis
Managing Editor
Saft America Inc. said Tuesday it would use the Remedy Intelligent Staffing franchise in Jacksonville to hire employees for its Cecil Commerce Center plant, which will eventually employ 277 hourly and salaried workers.
Saft said it is scheduled to start production of lithium ion battery cells in July.
Pay for production jobs will range from $15-$18 an hour while facilities and maintenance technician pay will range from $19.50-$21.50 an hour, reported Saft.
“We are looking for highly motivated individuals who possess strong technical aptitude and problem-solving ability,” said Alan Parsley who is in charge of human resources for the Jacksonville operation.
“We also will expect employees to work well in a teamwork environment,” he said in a statement.
Saft is building the $191 million, 235,000-square-foot plant at the Westside business park. Construction began in March.
The Jacksonville plant, which Saft said already employs 43 people, will be Saft’s sixth in the United States.
The Jacksonville plant will produce lithium ion battery cells and systems for use in markets such as renewable energy storage, telecommunications, automotive and energy grid stabilization.
The Jacksonville center should be occupied in March and production should start in July, said Saft.
The company said Remedy Staffing will handle the selection of workers for production positions, most of which will start as “variable” positions.
Applicants can expect a series of tests, interviews and other screenings designed to identify the best match for the positions, said Saft.
Remedy wants to bring on the first production team members in early spring, which coincides with equipment installation activities at the plant.
Saft said that Remedy employees in this assignment will serve as a significant part of the applicant pool for potential regular employment at Saft in the future.
Saft said people can apply online through WorkSource at www.employflorida.com or by contacting Remedy at www.remedystaff.com and then calling 771-4101.
Saft, based in Paris, was founded in 1918 and operates in 18 countries, with 15 company-owned production sites and three joint ventures. Total employment is 4,000 people.
Saft designs and manufactures high-tech batteries for industry. Its batteries are used in high performance applications, such as industrial infrastructure and processes, transportation, space and defense.
The Daily Record reported in March that Saft received a $95 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy for the project. It also received approval for City and state incentives.
At the time, Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce Cornerstone President Jerry Mallot said the project was what Jacksonville needed.
“The project had every characteristic we could want. It’s a technology company and it manufactures green energy products. There was a very high capital investment, which was important to us,” said Mallot.
Tom Alcide, CEO of Saft, put the Jacksonville plant in perspective at the event.
“This is Saft’s single largest investment in our history and we are excited about it,” he said, adding the company would have a team of about 30 in the area while the plant was under construction.
Saft said at the time that the plant was designed and would be built by Jacksonville-based Haskell Company. The goal was to use as much of the local workforce as possible for construction and employment.
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