South Korea's Hanjung NCS is planting its flag in the American Midwest. The battery component manufacturer announced on March 9 that its US subsidiary, Hanjung America, will construct a 133-acre energy storage system (ESS) manufacturing facility at Riverfork West Industrial Park in Huntington, Indiana. The factory will produce cooling systems and advanced direct injection fire extinguishers for battery energy storage, directly feeding Samsung SDI's nearby StarPlus Energy gigafactory in Kokomo. With a groundbreaking planned for April 2026 and operations targeted for June 2027, the project cements Indiana's position as a hub for Korean battery manufacturing in the US. AI-generated image Inside an ESS component manufacturing line producing cooling modules for battery systems. What Hanjung Is Building Hanjung NCS manufactures ESS components for Samsung SDI, one of the world's largest battery producers. The Indiana facility will focus on two product lines: thermal management systems (cooling modules) and fire suppression equipment designed specifically for large-scale battery installations. Both product categories address critical safety and performance requirements for grid-scale and EV battery packs. Thermal runaway remains the primary safety concern in lithium-ion battery deployments, and sophisticated cooling and fire suppression systems are essential for any manufacturer shipping battery products at scale. 133 Acres at Riverfork West 440+ Projected Jobs $4.5M State Incentives Apr 2026 Groundbreaking Jun 2027 Operations Start 500+ Jobs Statewide Target The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) is backing the project with up to $4.5 million in incentive-based tax credits , including $400,000 in Hoosier Business Investment tax credits and $200,000 in training grants. These incentives are performance-based: Hanjung can only claim them after delivering on its investment and hiring commitments. Huntington County provided additional local incentives. The StarPlus Energy Connection Hanjung's factory exists because of StarPlus Energy, the joint venture between Samsung SDI and automaker Stellantis that operates EV battery manufacturing in Kokomo, Indiana. Samsung SDI began local production of nickel cobalt aluminium oxide (NCA) battery cells at the Kokomo plant in October 2025, and the facility represents one of the largest battery manufacturing investments in the Midwest. AI-generated image Indiana's industrial corridors are attracting Korean battery supply chain investments. Reports have surfaced suggesting Stellantis may exit the StarPlus venture, which could push Samsung SDI to retool parts of the Kokomo plant for ESS cell production rather than EV batteries. If that happens, Hanjung's cooling and fire suppression products would become even more relevant, since grid-scale battery systems demand rigorous thermal management at the rack and container level. Samsung SDI has already signaled its BESS ambitions. At RE+ 2025, the company unveiled two US-manufactured products: the Samsung Battery Box 1.7 (a 6.14 MWh NCA system) and the SBB 2.0. In February 2026, Samsung SDI signed a memorandum of understanding with Korea East-West Power (EWP) to co-develop global energy storage and renewables projects, with the signing ceremony held at StarPlus Energy itself. Indiana's Growing Korean Battery Corridor Hanjung is not arriving in isolation. A constellation of South Korean companies has been setting up operations in Indiana over the past several years, all gravitating toward the StarPlus anchor. Korean Battery Suppliers in Indiana • Soulbrain MI: Announced in 2022, building a facility for high-purity electrolyte production for lithium-ion batteries. • Jaewon Industrial: Announced in 2023, constructing a chemical recycling plant in Kokomo to serve battery manufacturers. • Hanjung America: Announced March 2026, ESS cooling and fire suppression manufacturing in Huntington. • StarPlus Energy (Samsung SDI / Stellantis): Active NCA cell production in Kokomo since October 2025. This pattern mirrors what happened around Tesla's Gigafactory Nevada and CATL's operations in China: anchor cell manufacturers attract a supporting ecosystem of materials suppliers, equipment vendors, and recyclers. Indiana's appeal lies in its central location, relatively low operating costs, existing manufacturing workforce, and state-level incentive programs that reward job creation. Reducing Reliance on Chinese Battery Imports AI-generated image US-manufactured BESS products could reduce the industry's dependence on Chinese imports. The timing of Hanjung's announcement coincides with growing political and industry pressure to localize battery supply chains. Chinese manufacturers currently dominate global BESS production, with over 80% market share in battery manufacturing. Policy moves in both the US and Europe are attempting to shift that balance. A consultant told Energy-Storage.news last year that evolving trends in the US BESS industry could reduce reliance on Chinese batteries within a few years, driven partly by Korean manufacturers like Samsung SDI and LG Energy Solution ramping domestic production and repurposing some EV battery lines for stationary storage. LG Energy Solution took a step in that direction in February 2026 by purchasing Stellantis's stake in their joint battery plant in Ontario, Canada, giving LG full control over production decisions. Samsung SDI's Indiana operations, supported by suppliers like Hanjung, represent the other major Korean push into North American battery manufacturing. Why It Matters for Grid Storage As US battery storage deployments accelerate toward 70 GWh annually, having a domestic supply chain for critical BESS components (cells, thermal management, fire suppression, electrolyte) reduces exposure to trade disruptions and tariff risks. Indiana's Korean battery cluster is one of the most concrete examples of that supply chain taking shape. From Anchor Factory to Full Ecosystem Hanjung America's 133-acre ESS factory in Huntington is a relatively modest investment on its own. But viewed alongside Soulbrain, Jaewon, and the StarPlus gigafactory, it reveals a pattern: South Korean battery companies are building an integrated manufacturing ecosystem in the American Midwest, component by component. Whether StarPlus Energy remains an EV battery operation or pivots partially toward grid storage, the supporting supply chain Hanjung and its peers are constructing will be relevant either way. Cooling systems and fire suppression equipment serve both markets. The Bottom Line: Indiana is quietly becoming America's Korean battery belt. Hanjung America's new ESS factory in Huntington joins a growing list of Samsung SDI suppliers choosing the state, creating the kind of localized supply chain the US battery industry needs to reduce its dependence on Chinese imports.