Wacker’s first building up in Cleveland, Tenn.

The Tennessee Distribution Center at Wacker in Bradley County.

Photo by Contributed Photo /Chattanooga Times Free Press.

Employees constructing Wacker Polysilicon’s $1.8 billion plant in Cleveland, Tenn., today marked the completion of the plant’s first operational building.

A 165,000-square-foot distribution center will hold equipment for the construction of the factory, the company said in a press release.

After construction, the building will hold Wacker product, parts and packaging materials.

“All of the equipment needed for the assembly and erection of the production facilities must be here on site before we are able to start actually assembling,” said Dr. Konrad Bachhuber, vice president and site manager for Wacker Polysilicon North America, in a statement.

When up in late 2013, the plant is expected to employ about 650 people making polysilicon for the solar industry.

During the plant’s construction phase, 16 Wacker employees will work full-time at the center. The building will see up to 40 trucks each day in this phase. Once the plant is completed, the company said it expects 29 employees to work in the building including clerks and operators.