KINGSBORO, NC—Natron Energy Inc., a manufacturer of sodium-ion batteries, is investing $1.4 billion to build a new “gigafactory” here.

At full capacity, the 1.2 million square foot factory is expected to employ more than 1,000 people and produce 24 gigawatts of sodium-ion batteries annually. The facility will enable Natron to increase its current production capacity by a factor of 40. In April, Natron began production of sodium-ion batteries at its first commercial-scale factory in Holland, MI.