China Sunergy Will Create 200 Manufacturing Jobs In California

The Chinese solar company considered the East Coast and Midwest before deciding to locate its first U.S. facility at the McClennan Business Park in Sacramento, CA.

Sunergy America LLC, a subsidiary of China Sunergy Co., Ltd (CSUN) will build a facility with up to 400 megawatts of high efficiency solar module manufacturing capacity at McClennan Business Park in Sacramento, CA. The new 140,000 square-foot manufacturing facility is expected to begin operations in May 2017.

Sacramento CAAs a major step forward in China Sunergy’s global operations strategy, the new plant with fully automatic production lines aims to efficiently serve customers across the U.S., which is the second largest solar energy market. The new plant expects to create more than 200 job opportunities locally.

“We are delighted make solid steps toward introducing CSUN-branded and Made-in-America solar modules to local customers,” said Tingxiu Lu, Chairman and CEO of China Sunergy. “Our new state-of-the-art facility will have a positive impact on the company’s strategy of expanding its market share in the U.S market and benefiting the development of local economy through the jobs created and investment made.”

Sacramento CA
(Photo: CSUN)

The specialized solar cell and module manufacturer looked at other locations on the East Coast and in areas of the Midwest, but picked McClellan Business Park in Sacramento because of the skilled labor, California’s position as a leader in the solar industry, and savings on logistics costs.

“We are very pleased to have China Sunergy join our growing roster of manufacturing companies at McClellan Park,” said Larry Kelley, President of McClellan Park. “China Sunergy further solidifies our mission to redevelop the former Air Force base into a modern business park while creating jobs for the Sacramento region.”

“This lease transaction was completed after China Sunergy’s national search for a suitable facility,” said Ken Giannotti, Senior Vice President of McClellan Park. “We would like to thank Sacramento County Economic Development Department, Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA), Greater Sacramento Economic Council, Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) and the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) for their critical roles in completing the transaction.”

The Greater Sacramento Economic Council assisted with providing and developing a workforce study for China Sunergy to meet the company’s workforce requirements. Additionally, introductions were made with Sacramento State University’s engineering program.

“We are thrilled CSUN chose to build their first North American manufacturing plant at McClellan Park,” said Barry Broome, CEO of the Greater Sacramento Economic Council. “Their entry into this market validates the Sacramento region as the ‘California Option’ for companies interested in expanding into the U.S. market.”

The team at GO-Biz, led by Senior Business Development Specialist Diane Banchero, first met with China Sunergy executives in July 2016 to assist with the site selection process. Once the company decided on the McClellan location, GO-Biz helped identify several statewide incentives to support the project. In addition to these incentives, potentially worth millions, GO-Biz will continue to work with the company through the life cycle of its expansion.

Sacramento CA
(Photo: CSUN)

“GO-Biz is proud to have worked closely with China Sunergy to bring their new high-efficiency solar cell and module manufacturing facility to California after a nationwide search,” said GO-Biz Director Panorea Avdis. “International companies like this one are important drivers of the California economy and help meet Governor Brown’s ambitious renewable energy goals. We look forward to continuing to work with China Sunergy as they expand their presence in the state and provide valuable manufacturing jobs to our communities.”

SMUD played a significant role in convincing CSUN to come to Sacramento County by offering its Economic Development rate, a special pricing structure available to new or expanding companies that will use significant amounts of energy and will bring new jobs to the region. SMUD was also able to demonstrate high power quality and reliability ratings — an important consideration for a manufacturer like CSUN.

“The arrival of CSUN Solar to McClellan Park is outstanding news for the region,” said District 1 County Supervisor Phil Serna. “CSUN could have chosen any site in the United States for their manufacturing and assembly operations, and they recognized the value of doing business in Sacramento County. This signifies real progress as our business community continues to grow.”

Relocating or Expanding Your Business In California

Considering California for your company’s relocation or expansion project? Check out Business Facilities’ California Incentives and Workforce Development Guide.