In November 2022, Panasonic Energy Co. decided to shake things up in the electric vehicle (EV) industry by breaking ground on a 300-acre lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility in De Soto, Kansas. This state-of-the-art facility, nestled in the bustling Astra Enterprise Park, formerly the Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant, is set to catapult Kansas into the limelight as a major player in the ever-expanding EV landscape.
When it comes to mega-projects like this, collaboration is key, and Sain was thrilled to partner with SSOE Group as part of their staff augmentation in civil engineering. Picture this: a project so grand, it had everyone rolling up their sleeves, from Birmingham to Tokyo, ensuring every design requirement was checked off the checklist. The unique twist? The project’s global team was playing a high-stakes game of design ping-pong, sending updates across time zones and waking up to fresh feedback from colleagues in India and Japan. It was a round-the-clock, seamless dance of creativity and innovation.
Our Traffic team was not left out of the action, and they provided transportation planning support for the project. In addition to coordinating site access, our Traffic team reviewed design plans for the state-funded transportation improvement projects adjacent to the site. As if that wasn’t enough, they also dipped their toes into transit service planning, showcasing their versatility and foresight.
Virtual meetings turned out to be the secret sauce in synchronizing this massive endeavor. It was like conducting a symphony, with everyone tuning in from different corners of the globe, their screens lighting up like a constellation of collaboration. While it can feel like “herding sheep” when so many groups are working together, the ability to meet virtually to discuss action items in real-time made all the difference.
As we look ahead to the completion of construction in 2025, Sain stands proud to have been part of a project that promises not just to supercharge Kansas’s economy, but also to fuel the global EV industry. Here’s to a future powered by teamwork!