One of the world’s largest battery manufacturers announced Wednesday it will open a new global research and development headquarters within Georgia Tech’s life sciences district called Science Square.
Duracell Inc. said it will invest $56 million and employ 110 workers at its new Midtown innovation center at 101 Nerem St. NW, according to a news release. The announcement confirms reports last fall by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and other outlets that state and Fulton County officials were trying to woo a battery manufacturer to locate a “state-of-the-art global innovation center” in Atlanta.
Duracell’s announcement also adds another prominent company to the Peach State’s growing roster of battery companies along with Atlanta’s robust ecosystem of business incubators and research centers surrounding Georgia Tech.
“As they make Science Square their new home, Duracell strengthens our region’s powerful reputation as a hub for innovation and furthers Georgia’s growing battery ecosystem,” Katie Kirkpatrick, president and CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber, said in the news release.
Chicago-based Duracell is best-known for manufacturing alkaline, lithium coin and hearing aid batteries. Since 1980, it has operated a manufacturing facility in LaGrange, and it recently opened a distribution plant in Fairburn five years ago. Those two facilities support roughly 675 jobs.
Credit: Courtesy Duracell Inc.
Credit: Courtesy Duracell Inc.
In October, the Development Authority of Fulton County approved a nearly $870,000 property tax break for an undisclosed battery manufacturer to try to woo its innovation center to the area. Described as “Project Phoenix,” the project’s employment and investment figures match Duracell’s announcement, and the company’s name was first tied to the deal by the Atlanta Business Chronicle after the local incentive was adopted. Three other states were vying for the project, an attorney who represented Project Phoenix told the DAFC board before the vote.
Credit: Miguel Martinez
Credit: Miguel Martinez
Despite the incentive, the Duracell project is estimated to generate $1.7 million in new tax collections during the abatement period.
The recruitment effort was spearheaded by the Georgia Department of Economic Development and Select Fulton, the county’s economic development arm. A Georgia Department of Economic Development spokesperson told the AJC on Wednesday that state incentive negotiations with Duracell remain active.
“The move positions Duracell closer to Georgia Tech, where we plan to collaborate on cutting-edge R&D projects, particularly in battery technology and (information of things) systems,” a company spokesperson told the AJC. “Additionally, Atlanta offers increased access to talent, infrastructure and industry-leading technology ecosystems.”
The company’s R&D offices will open in summer 2026 and be located adjacent to Georgia Tech’s Midtown campus in Science Square, an 18-acre multiphase development that focuses on bioscience startups and life science innovation. The district will eventually include more than 1.8 million square feet of lab and office space. Portal Innovations, a Chicago-based life sciences venture capital incubator, was the first tenant announced for the district.
The district’s first building, Science Square Labs, includes more than 368,000 square feet of lab and office space, which will house startups and act as a bridge between Georgia Tech’s nearby Midtown campus and the corporate world. It’s a model lifted from the institute’s Coda building, a glitzy technology and research tower that opened in 2019 and prompted several tech companies to open nearby campuses.
“Georgia has set itself apart as a leader in attracting innovative companies with our research institutions, world-class logistics network and pro-business environment,” Gov. Brian Kemp said in the release.
DAFC, also known as Develop Fulton, has the power to offer property tax breaks that accrue over a 10-year period if certain milestones are met. DAFC previously approved up to $29.4 million in property tax breaks for Science Square’s development.
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