Saft to Hire 800 in Florida — If Feds Pay Up

France’s Saft has applied for a $100 million federal grant to build a high-tech battery factory in Jacksonville, Florida.

The firm says the new plant would employ 800 people. The grant would come from the US Department of Energy.

Saft is a French firm specializing in the design and manufacture of high-tech batteries for industry. Saft batteries are used in high performance applications, such as industrial infrastructure and processes, transportation, space and defense. It is the world’s leading manufacturer of nickel-cadmium batteries for industrial applications, and of primary lithium batteries for a wide range of end markets. With approximately 4,000 employees worldwide, Saft is present in 18 countries.