Smith Electric Vehicles has begun limited assembly operations locally, but economic development officials expect a major struggle next year to keep the British import here for the long haul.
The first 14 employees are working at a temporary facility at Kansas City International Airport, with 40 expected to be on the payroll by the end of the year, said Jeff Kaczmarek, president and CEO of the Kansas City Economic Development Corp. A limited number of the battery-powered delivery vans are expected to be assembled this month.
The big question, however, is whether Kansas City will be able to hold onto Smith Electric should the orders begin in earnest and the company move forward with building a full-scale plant.
Smith Electric signed only a one-year lease last summer on the 80,000-square-foot former aircraft maintenance building, with an initial investment estimated at $5 million.
“Smith Electric Vehicles is being heavily courted by a variety of other communities for their permanent facility,” Kaczmarek said Monday. “We have a toehold, but we’re in fierce competition with other states, and we have to aggressively move on a variety of fronts.”
Bryan Hansel, CEO of Smith Electric, could not be reached for comment.
More on this story @ http://www.kansascity.com/business/story/1504721.html
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