India-based Epsilon Advanced Materials (EAM) to build $650M graphite anode plant in North Carolina

Epsilon Advanced Materials (EAM), India’s leading battery materials company, plans to build a $650-million graphite anode manufacturing facility in Brunswick County of North Carolina. The facility is the first Indian investment in the US electric vehicle (EV) battery industry.

The company plans to break ground in 2024 and begin manufacturing in 2026, reaching full capacity by 2031. When operational, the facility will utilize green technologies to produce high-capacity anode materials for EV batteries.

Establishing a manufacturing plant in Brunswick County, North Carolina, offers strategic advantages, such as proximity to the Wilmington port, automotive suppliers, Southeastern vehicle manufacturing facilities and the local community college. The location also streamlines logistics, reduces costs and provides access to the growing electric vehicle market.

Localizing the battery manufacturing ecosystem will not only provide strategic advantages but also aligns with the broader goal of helping automakers leverage EV subsidies under the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

EAM, a wholly owned subsidiary of Epsilon Carbon Pvt Ltd., is already in discussions with local raw material suppliers and transportation partners for its North Carolina operations. When fully operational, the EAM facility will produce 50,000 tons per annum (TPA) of graphite anode.

Earlier in October, Epsilon Group signed an agreement to acquire Johnson Matthey’s lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode active material technology center in Moosburg, Germany. (Earlier post.)

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