Many starting wages at the new $4 billion Panasonic battery plant in nearby De Soto will be in the $20 to $25 an hour range, a Lawrence consultant working with the company said. That’s good information for potential job seekers to have, but also valuable information for area companies as well, Rob Richardson, the Panasonic opportunities manager for the Lawrence chamber, told a crowd on Tuesday. Many area companies indeed will be vying for the same workers that Panasonic hopes to employ. “That is kind of what the competition is going to be,” Richardson said as he announced the $20 to $25 per hour wage range to the crowd. Richardson said Panasonic expects to be hiring at least 200 employees per month in 2024. In many months that number may be higher, as the plant is expected to employ 4,000 people and begin production of electric vehicle batteries in the first quarter of 2025.
Source: LJWorld
