Umicore has planned to construct a manufacturing facility for cathode active battery materials and their precursor materials in Ontario, Canada. This represents the final goal in establishing a global production presence within battery value chains for Umicore, and these chains are integrated to be able to support its customers in their fast transition toward sustainable electric mobility.
The planned facility is said to be the first of its kind in North America combing cathode and precursor materials manufacturing at a large industrial scale and thereby completing the missing link in Canadas battery value chain, from natual resources to electric mobility.
Umicore has said that they are in negotiations with several potential customers for production contracts in North America. This will form the basis for Umicore’s investment decision and underlines its commitment to value creative returns.
Umicore and the Government of Canada have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to finalise the support application of the project under the Strategic Innovation Fund.
This MoU follows a recently signed agreement with Loyalist Township to secure a plot of land of about 350 acres in Loyalist, Ontario, to this effect. The location, in the center of Canada’s automotive eco-system, offers critical advantages such as access to a highly skilled workforce, key infrastructure and renewable energy, which the new plant will be running on 100% from start of production.
Umnicore are aiming to begin construction in 2023 and operations by the end of 2025, with the potential to reach by the end of the decade an annual production capacity capable of powering approximately one million EVs.
“Canada and the Ontario province have all it takes for Umicore to establish a full-fledged, sustainable supply chain for battery materials, all the way from the mine right to the end-market of electric vehicles.” – said Mathias Miedreich, CEO of Umicore.
“Once the key customer contracts are in place, this expansion in North America would complete our global rollout of regional supply chains for our automotive and battery cell customers to now three continents.”
Umicore will also explore opportunities for metals refining and battery recycling in North America, to offer its customers in the region secure and circular access to critical battery materials and – in line with its earlier announced ambition to establish a regional presence in North America – across the CAM value chain.
