EAST ALTON, Ill—Construction is underway on a $500 million dollar project to modernize copper manufacturing facilities for Wieland, a German firm with long ties to this Metro East community. 

Officials gathered for a groundbreaking ceremony Monday that starts what will be a three-year project to install a new hot rolling mill. The copper and copper alloy produced will be used as components for electric vehicles, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure, among other products.

The company agreed to keep 800 jobs across multiple facilities in the state of Illinois and will receive $231 million in state tax incentives over the lifetime of the agreement extending 30 years. 

"This is a massive commitment of capital and people by a great international company and East Alton and the local workforce really showed its mettle, no pun intended," said Gov. JB Pritzker, who noted that the state beat out several competitors for the expansion.

A small part of the deal remains up in the air. Last year, the village of East Alton was awarded a $5 million federal grant to update its water treatment facility. The work would help the village meet EPA standards and also reduce Wieland’s production costs.

The money was approved in a federal budget signed last March but has been held back by the Trump administration as part of a larger funding freeze on infrastructure projects.

“This should not be debatable. This is money that should be appropriated to this project,” said Rep. Nikki Budzinski, who originally helped secure the funds. “This is money that is committed to this community. We want to make sure it's released as a part of this larger project.”