On Wednesday, Youngstown Rep. Tim Ryan sent a letter to President Biden inviting him to “visit his Northeast Ohio congressional district at his “earliest convenience,” wishing to showcase what local leaders hope will soon become “Voltage Valley.”
Beginning this fall, Lordstown Motors will begin production on electric trucks after taking over the old General Motors plant that closed in 2019. Youngstown is also home the America Makes 3-D printing institute, which Rep. Ryan touted in his letter as “the first manufacturing center of President Barack Obama’s administration.”
“The Mahoning Valley, traditionally known as America’s ‘Steel Valley’ is rapidly becoming America’s ‘Voltage Valley,'” Ryan wrote, in part. “I look forward to your positive response so that we might plan and schedule appropriately.”
Besides the revived plant, GM has committed to building a new, $2.8 billion facility in Lordstown that will make car batteries. The focus on electric vehicles has led to the new “Voltage Valley” moniker.
“We are leveraging both our traditional and advanced manufacturing strengths together with our emerging capabilities in clean energy and e-mobility to revitalize our region, providing well-paying jobs for our citizens, address global energy and environmental concerns, and once again, regain our place as a valued national manufacturing center,”
Rep. Tim Ryan believes the new Lordstown plant mirrors President Biden’s plan to bring back good paying, manufacturing and focus on clean energy jobs. Although Lordstown Motors has said it’s open to union representation for its workers, it doesn’t have a contract with UAW at this time. Still, it’s likely many of the jobs created will pay less than those lost at GM.
