Belgian materials technology and recycling group Umicore has chosen Nysa, Poland, as the site for its first cathode materials production plant for the European automotive market. The facility will be built in two phases, with the first due to start deliveries in late 2020. The plant is expected to create up to 400 jobs and will benefit from its proximity to European customers and a skilled technical workforce. Umicore has also announced plans to build a Process Competence Center at its existing site in Olen, Belgium, to strengthen its leadership in energy-efficient production processes.
Further to its announcement earlier this year of a first production plant to manufacture cathode materials for the European automotive market, Umicore has now selected a site in Nysa, Poland, for this investment.
The plant will build upon the state-of-the-art and proprietary production technologies developed to meet the highest automotive performance and quality standards. The first phase of this investment is included in the € 660 million programme announced earlier this year and is due to start deliveries in late 2020.
Nysa is in the vicinity of its European customers and will give access to a skilled technical workforce as well as low-carbon electricity supply. The first phase is expected to create up to 400 jobs. The local authorities and Umicore aim to build a long-standing, mutually beneficial relationship thereby providing a stable environment for Europe’s first substantial cathode material factory.
Umicore has also decided to build a new Process Competence Center at its existing site in Olen, Belgium, where it operates one of its largest R&D centers. The center will further strengthen Umicore’s leadership in innovative energy-efficient production processes which will be applied to its high-technology installations worldwide. This investment is expected to be commissioned in late 2019 and will be employing around 20 researchers.
Marc Grynberg, CEO of Umicore, commented: “Both decisions are major milestones for Umicore and will significantly contribute to the European Union’s initiative to promulgate a leading rechargeable battery industry based on innovative technologies and a sustainable supply chain.”