On June 5, 2023, the South Korean electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer SK Signet celebrated the grand opening of its new EV charger plant in Plano. According to the company’s official statement, SK Signet expects to create up to 183 new jobs by 2026.

In August 2022, USA Today ranked Texas as one of the top 10 worst states for owning an electric vehicle based on the number of registered electric cars to a single charging station. But that could change fast thanks to new EV charging manufacturers like SK Signet, Siemens and Tesla choosing the state to open new plants.

“SK Signet is thrilled to be opening this facility in Texas,” said SK Signet CEO Jung Ho Shin. “The opening of the SK Signet factory means new jobs for Texas and more chargers for American EV owners.”

North Texas is becoming a hot spot for the tech industry. As reported by Community Impact, while much of the country’s economy was at a halt during the pandemic, between 2019 and 2020 Plano had the fastest-growing tech labor force in America and by 2022, Lightcast ranked Plano among the top 20 cities for tech jobs. And for good reason — the area is leading the state in the transition to EVs.

A study released in April 2023 ranked Dallas-Fort Worth among the top 15 EV-friendly metro areas with over 29K electric vehicles on the streets, a 54% increase since last year. Additionally, in 2022 tech companies and car manufacturers demonstrated the significant bet they are placing in the region for the development of an EV market.

In December 2022, Plano-based Toyota Motor North America partnered with Oncor Electric Delivery to launch a pilot project to allow vehicles to flow energy from their battery packs to the grid. The goal of the project was to better understand the infrastructure needed to enable the fast-paced growth of EVs. Earlier this year, Siemens opened its electric vehicle charging manufacturing hub in Carrollton.

SK Signet’s new facility will produce ultra-fast chargers with a wide range of uses — from U.S.-based public charging operators to commercial companies with EV fleets to traditional gas stations or convenience stores looking to expand their service.

“Their investment in our community represents a significant milestone that holds immense promise for our community and beyond,” said Plano Mayor John Muns at the grand opening event. “The company’s innovative technology and EV charging capabilities are remarkable and we are thrilled to be home to their first manufacturing facility in the United States.”