Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday that a consortium of businesses spearheaded by three Southern Tier companies will establish research and development and production operations at the former IBM-Endicott campus.

The consortium, Imperium3 New York, Inc., will invest more than $130 million in the state's first giga-factory producing lithium ion batteries and create at least 230 new jobs over the next five years. Plans call for workers overseeing the production of 700 batteries per minute in a 400,000-square feet of vacant facility.

A lithium-ion battery start-up with its germination from @binghamtonu research about to take flight. https://t.co/kjOdKiPJdF — pressconnects (@pressconnects) October 4, 2017

The Imperium3NY consortium was formed by nearly 10 companies, with three Southern Tier companies serving as its backbone:

C4V (Binghamton) will provide the core intellectual property.

C&D Assembly (Groton) is supplying electronic board assembly and battery testing.

Primet Precision Materials (Ithaca) is offering advanced processing of materials.

Last year, C4V was recognized for its innovative battery storage technology when it was named a $500,000 winner in New York State's first 76West Clean Energy Competition. The 76West competition focused on supporting and growing clean-energy businesses and expanding innovative entrepreneurship in the Southern Tier.

According to the Press & Sun Bulletin, Shailesh Upreti is spearheading the effort. He has been on the Binghamton University campus for 10 years, researching advances in lithium-ion batteries under the guidance of Professor Stanley Whittingham, who has gained a worldwide reputation for his work in energy storage.

Imperium3 New York plans to commercialize an innovative technology for making more efficient and less expensive lithium ion batteries.

During Cuomo's announcement Wednesday, BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement) protestors were forcibly removed after interrupting the event.

Job prospects for the Southern Tier communities are opening up.

Last week, Dick's Sporting Goods announced they're looking to fill 525 positions for the distribution warehouse in Conklin.