E Ink had announced earlier in May 2021 the purchase of the South Hadley property it has been leasing since 2009. It has now come up with detailed plans on how it wishes to optimally use the available space to start full-scale production of E Ink panels at the earliest. The company officials presented its expansion plans to officials of the Planning Board for the necessary clearances.
Among the changes that the Taiwanese company is looking to implement include demolishing a portion measuring 7,600-square-foot out of the 80,000 square-foot space that the building offers. The company plans to set up a whole new manufacturing facility in the portion that would also include a small loading dock as well. Plus, there is also going to be a tank farm set up outside where the chemicals Toluene and Isopar E would be stored.
These are the chemicals that go into the making of the e-paper displays. The company so far sourced it from another company but would henceforth make it within the facility itself. E Ink said this will help create employment in the area and around 10 people would get direct employment right away.
However, with E Ink planning to make and store the chemicals it needs right at the South Hadley site itself, this also means it will require a special permit from the Planning Board for the same. Apart from that, a stormwater management permit is also required before E Ink can embark on its expansion and production plans.
Anne Capra, the director of planning and conservation at South Hadley said that the local Conservation Commission has recommended engaging an independent party who would be peer-reviewing E Ink’s expansion plans, stormwater management, as well as chemical handling. Among the question asked were how E Ink plans to store the chemicals, whether there are enough safeguards in place to prevent accidental spills and leaks, and so on. Both sides would be in touch till the end of this month to review the situation.
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.
