DE SOTO — This small town is moving forward with plans for major developments even though Panasonic may delay full production at its new electric vehicle battery plant.
The newest developments include plans for hundreds of housing options with apartments, homes and a hotel, in addition to the opening of a data center and an expansion to Merck Animal Health’s facility.
DE SOTO is a town of about 6,500 people, so the planned hiring of 4,000 people at Panasonic, in addition to new housing and other businesses coming to town, means at least an additional 60% of people spending time at local businesses and using roads and other town infrastructure. Some residents are coping with the changes to the town’s character and desire for more information about environmental impacts from new development.
De Soto Mayor Rick Walker said he is confident Panasonic will meet its obligations and this his opinion about the project hasn’t changed.
“It was good for the city when we first saw it. It’s still good for the city,” he said. “I mean, it’s a generation worth of improvements that were built in a span of three years, and that’s just completely unimaginable that we would have been able to do that. But it’s happened and it’s here and no regrets, no second thoughts.”
THE $4 BILLION Panasonic plant was expected to reach full production by March 2027 but reports suggest that goal has been delayed due to the dropping electric car sales and federal policies that don’t support green energy.
Sarah King, Panasonic Energy chief people officer, and Panasonic spokesperson Alison Klooster did not respond directly to questions about when full production would begin but said they are still planning to reach the original planned output.
“I think it’s something similar to how we opened in July, like yeah, I believe our initial goal was quarter one of 2025. It was a few months later, but we did open and we’re up and running,” Klooster said.
MANY FACTORS are at play, making it difficult to provide a specific timeline, she said. Hiring sustainability and construction timing are some of those factors, Klooster added.
She said the plant just sent out its millionth battery last month.
“People want things to happen on different timelines sometimes, but it’s happening on the timeline that we can sustain in the community and make sure that we make a lasting, positive impact,” Klooster said.
The factory has hired just over 1,200 employees, including production workers and support staff, and is still on track for 4,000 total employees, King said.
It’s also dependent on apprenticeship programs and time needed to get workers ready, she said.
King said employees are still being hired from within a 50-mile radius of De Soto.
