The new joint venture company called CS Energy Materials, which will combine the core competencies of both partners to produce cathode materials for Li-ion batteries to cater to ‘electro-mobility’ growth market, will be 49% owned by H.C. Starck and 51% owned by Chisso.
CS Energy Materials will pave the way for H.C. Starck to enter the Asian market by building a production plant in Minamata, Japan with a capacity of 1000 tons per year, which is planned to be ready for operation by the beginning of 2012.
At the same time, the company’s Goslar site, Germany will be working on the development of battery intermediates for future production projects in Asia and Europe to drive the international expansion of this energy storage technology of EVs.
H.C. Starck CEO Andreas Meier said that in the race for the electric car of the future, H.C. Starck has internationally recognized material competencies in the field of lithium mixed oxides.
“With this joint venture, H.C. Starck will successfully penetrate the electro-mobility market, which is predicted to become an important technology of the future,” Meier said.
