Kelowna is poised to become a global player in electric truck batteries and hydrogen fuel storage systems with the opening of the Hexagon Purus plant in the fall of 2022.
“Yes, this is the beginning of something very cool,” said Todd Sloan, Hexagon Purus’ executive vice president of systems.
“This is a unique and extraordinary technology in Kelowna. It could bring like-minded companies to Kelowna as well.”
Hexagon two-battery packs like this one are being built into new heavy duty trucks like the ones pictured below to make them zero emission vehicles. “Class =” img-responsive “src =” https: //www.kelownanow .com / files / files / images / Hexagon% 20battery% 20pack.png “style =” margin: 5px; “/>
It’s good for the environment, fits Canada and British Columbia’s aggressive move towards zero-emission vehicles, and is the wave of the future.
In the past, Hexagon Purus has supplied truck manufacturers such as Freightliner, Hino and International.
Hexagon Purus already has a store in Kelowna on Dalton Road near Freddy’s Brew Pub and employs 20 people who build battery packs and hydrogen storage units.
So the move to a new factory is effectively a major addition to the Kelowna facility.
Hexagon Purus already employs 50 people in Kelowna, mostly fitters and engineers.
This means that 100 more will have to be hired by the time the factory opens in autumn 2022.
This drawing shows what the Hexagon Purus factory will look like next fall. “Class =” img-responsive “src =” https://www.kelownanow.com/files/files/images/Hexagon%20rendering% 202. jpg “style =” margin: 5px; “/>
Sloan’s first Kelowna company two decades ago was Enviromec, which built hydrogen storage systems for trucks.
“We were 20 years ahead of the times and focused on compressed natural gas systems for heavy-duty vehicles until 2010 when we merged with our largest competitor to form Agility.”
Agility became a big deal in Kelowna with a factory in the former Crown Packaging facility on Enterprise Way with 150 employees.
The operation moved to North Carolina in 2014 to be close to its biggest buyer – Freightliner trucks.
Hexagon Composites bought Agility in 2019 and then spun off its zero-emission divisions (battery and hydrogen) to create Hexagon Purus, thus closing the circle to announce the Kelowna facility.
Hexagon Purus raised $ 100 million for the launch and is listed on the Euronext Growth Oslo Stock Exchange.
Currently, Hexagon Purus shares are trading at around 34 Norwegian kroner per share, which is roughly CDN $ 4.80.
It started trading at 27 kroner and was as high as 88 kroner last year.
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