Ultium Cells

~3,000,000

Square Foot Facilities

3,000

Process Connections

150+

Acre Sites

Battery Cell Manufacturing Plants

Dunham has designed three manufacturing plants for Ultium Cells, each done as part of an Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) team. These two-level lithium-ion electric vehicle battery-cell manufacturing facilities are approximately 3 M SF each and employ 800-1300 people. Each located on 150+-acre sites in multiple states, these buildings have equipment mezzanines, multiple outbuildings, and a 650,000 SF manufacturing space with ISO 7 cleanrooms. Our design included electrical distribution, process systems, interior and exterior lighting systems, emergency power, security, and fire alarm systems. The facilities are designed with ~65+ unit substations and have a demand of 123 MVA of power with 223 MVA of connected capacity, including ~3,000 process connections. Construction began on the first project in July 2020 and was occupied in the fall of 2022. That project received an Award of Merit in the Energy/Industrial category from ENR Midwest’s 2023 Best Projects, which honors projects that showcase quality design and construction. Our services on these project include Virtual Design and Construction (VDC), which requires detailed BIM modeling and close collaboration with stakeholders and design partners to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and improve constructability of the project by helping visualize potential issues prior to construction.