Posted on 30 Oct 2023
Indian battery materials firm Epsilon Advanced Materials (EAM) plans to develop its $650 million graphite anode manufacturing facility in North Carolina, Kallanish understands.
Set to be built in Brunswick County, the facility is the first and largest Indian investment into the US electric vehicle battery industry, EAM says. Spanning 1.5 million square feet, the project is expected to create roughly 500 new jobs in the area.
Construction is planned for 2024, with an anticipated manufacturing start-date of 2026. The company hopes to reach full capacity by 2031, producing 50,000 tonnes/year of graphite anode.
“Having an environmentally friendly world-class facility in North Carolina resolves supply chain concerns that the automotive industry has experienced in recent years,” says EAM ceo Sunit Kapur. “We are proud that with our tech capability to manufacture both natural and synthetic graphite, we will be able to provide graphite anodes to the growing EV battery industry faster, more reliably and at a competitive cost without import challenges.”
Brunswick County was chosen for its proximity to the Wilmington port, automotive suppliers and vehicle manufacturing facilities, among other things. EAM says the local geography supports sustainability, and the location may provide economic incentives for the business.
The company also considered the Inflation Reduction Act when selecting a factory location, as more US automakers are striving to leverage EV subsidies and credits with domestic manufacturing. EAM says it has already held discussions with local material suppliers and transportation partners, but did not disclose the companies.
Source:Kallanish
