BASF celebrates grand opening of battery materials production plant in Elyria, Ohio

First BASF manufacturing facility dedicated to commercial-scale production of advanced cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries

14-Nov-2012 - USA

BASF celebrated the grand opening of its new cathode materials production plant in Elyria, Ohio. The materials manufactured at the Elyria plant will be used by BASF’s customers to produce advanced lithium-ion batteries that will propel current and next-generation hybrid and full electric vehicles, helping drive the future of electromobility in North America and around the globe.

Construction of the new cathode materials plant required an investment of more than $50 million, which was supported by a $24.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. In addition, BASF was selected as one of only two licensed suppliers of Argonne National Laboratory patented Nickel-Cobalt-Manganese (NCM) cathode materials, which employ a unique combination of lithium and manganese-rich mixed metal oxides. The materials being produced in Elyria leverage this advanced NCM chemistry, which is particularly well suited to the production of lithium-ion batteries for automotive and other high-end applications.

The new four-story, 70,000 square foot cathode materials plant in Elyria leverages state-of-the-art production technologies, and is expected to create approximately 25 new jobs in Elyria. The operation in Elyria is supported by BASF battery materials research laboratories in nearby Beachwood, Ohio, and at the company’s headquarters in Ludwigshafen, Germany.

As part of its long-term battery materials strategy, BASF will continue to work with partners in industry and science to develop materials and technologies for current and next generation lithium-ion batteries as well as for future battery systems.

Other news from the department research and development

Most read news

More news from our other portals

Is artificial intelligence revolutionising chemistry?