Battery Material

OCSiAl, a leading provider of graphene nanotube technologies, has received construction approval for a nanotube production facility near Belgrade, Serbia. The new nanotube synthesis plant will be launched in 2024 and will have a planned annual capacity of 120 tonnes per year. This plant will not only produce nanotubes but also produce high-quality nanotube suspensions for lithium-ion battery manufacturers in Europe, the U.S., and Asia. This volume is expected to be sufficient to significantly improve the performance of more than 1 million electric cars. The nanotubes play a critical role in creating electrical networks between active material particles in batteries, resulting in longer life, higher C-rate performance, and better cohesion between active material particles. Graphene nanotubes also enable the development of new battery technologies, including high-silicon anodes, thick LFP cathodes, fast-charging graphite anodes, and more. They are highly versatile and find application in both conventional and innovative battery technologies such as dry deposition and solid-state batteries. Source: https://ocsial.com/news/ocsial-is-constructing-a-graphene-nanotube-facility-in-europe-to-enhance-1-mln-electric-cars-per-year/

The new South Korean “EcoPro Cam Canada LP” subsidiary plans to construct a battery cathode plant in Canada worth around 830 million euros.

Vulcan Energy Resources has started its Lithium Extraction Optimization Plant at its German site in Landau, Rhineland-Palatinate. The factory is dedicated to the extraction, purification, and concentration of lithium chloride.

Chinese conglomerate Tinci Group, a supplier of electrolyte for lithium-ion batteries, recently decided to move its major electrolyte production project from the Czech Republic to Morocco.

SK On, EcoProBM and Ford are jointly investing 800,000 euros in the construction of a production plant for cathode materials (CAM). In the future, this plant will secure the material supply for the batteries of Ford’s upcoming electric vehicles. Starting in the first half of 2026, the plant is expected to be capable of producing 45,000 metric tons of CAM annually. EcoPro CAM Canada LP will produce cathode materials, more specifically nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM), which are expected to offer higher performance and longer range for electric vehicles through EcoPro’s core shell gradient (CSG) technology compared to existing products. Construction of the 280,000-square-foot site has already begun. The resulting six-story building will create more than 345 new jobs in Canada, ranging from engineers to sales and service professionals to co-op positions for local university and college students. In addition, EcoPro CAM Canada LP will conduct research and development projects designed to improve battery safety and performance, increase productivity and minimize the environmental footprint of the manufacturing process. Source: https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2023/08/17/ecoprobm–sk-on–ford-investing-in-quebec–building-cathode-plan.html#

British anode material developer Nexeon plans to build its first commercial production site in South Korea. Officials say the new plant will enable the company to meet its binding supply agreement with Panasonic in early 2025.

Finnish Minerals Group plans to build two battery materials factories in Finland. The Group plans to build a cathode active materials (CAM) plant and another for precursor materials (pCAM), which together will form one of the largest plant clusters in Europe.