Pyrotek branch gets stimulus grant

An East Coast subsidiary of Spokane Valley manufacturing company Pyrotek has landed $11.3 million in federal stimulus money to improve the performance of lithium-ion batteries.

The money will continue development of carbon powder anode material that improves the life and performance of batteries, said Don Ting, executive vice president of Pyrotek.

That technology was developed at the company’s plant in Sanborn, N.Y. Pyrotek purchased the operation in 2005, Ting said.

Ting said contracts and agreements with partners prevent saying more about who will use the batteries and what improvements its engineers have added.

The Sanborn plant has about 50 workers, while Pyrotek’s Spokane operations have roughly 80.

Pyrotek’s original and main line of business is making equipment used in converting liquid aluminum into solid cast metal.

Ting said that while the money will all be spent in New York state, the stimulus grant validates the technology Pyrotek is developing.

“We are happy to do our small part in developing cleaner fuel options for the United States,” he said.