North American lithium-ion battery supply chain boosted through localization of lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6) production

BOSTON, Feb. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Orbia’s Fluorinated Solutions business Koura today announced that it has signed a technology licensing agreement with Kanto Denka Kogyo for lithium hexafluorophoshate (LiPF6), a critical lithium-ion battery material. The agreement provides Koura with access to Kanto Denka Kogyo’s world-class technology and industry expertise in commercial LiPF6 production.

Currently, there is no large-scale production of LiPF6 in North America. With significant growth of the U.S. electric vehicles market, demand for lithium-ion batteries and materials is increasing. Orbia is working to secure North America’s supply of key battery materials and recently announced the first U.S. manufacturing plant for LiPF6 in St. Gabriel, Louisiana, partially funded by a $100 million U.S. Department of Energy Award. 

“Kanto Denka Kogyo is recognized by the major battery producers for its reliable and high quality LiPF6 technology. We are excited to extend this production know-how to Koura, as they are best suited to build and operate a LiPF6 plant in North America with their vertically-integrated fluorspar and fluorine value chain. Customers will now have access to known LiPF6 performance in North America,” said Junichi Hasegawa, President of Kanto Denka Kogyo.

“As one of the pioneers and known leader in the high quality manufacture of LiPF6, Kanto Denka Kogyo is the ideal partner for Koura to progress our energy strategy and be ready to meet growing demand for a domestic supply of LiPF6,” said Gregg Smith, President of Orbia Fluorinated Solutions (Koura). “Accessing a proven technology with our license from Kanto Denka Kogyo along with support from the U.S. Department of Energy ensures we are ready to meet customer needs as lithium-ion battery plants are built and the market grows.”

As the operator of the world’s largest fluorspar mine, Koura is working with industry partners and researchers to convert the material into a wide range of advanced battery materials, including electrolyte salts, binders and high-performance electrolyte additives for lithium-ion batteries. Koura’s unique ‘mine-to-market’ vertically integrated position, expertise in fluorine technology and investment in recycled and alternative sources of Lithium enables the business to tackle today’s challenge of the domestic supply chain for lithium-ion batteries.

About Orbia

Orbia is a company driven by a shared purpose: to advance life around the world. Orbia operates in the Polymer Solutions (Vestolit and Alphagary), Building and Infrastructure (Wavin), Precision Agriculture (Netafim), Connectivity Solutions (Dura-Line) and Fluorinated Solutions (Koura) sectors. The five Orbia business groups have a collective focus on expanding access to health and wellness, reinventing the future of cities and homes, ensuring food and water security, connecting communities to information and accelerating a circular economy with basic and advanced materials, specialty products and innovative solutions. Orbia has a global team of over 23,000 employees, commercial activities in more than 110 countries and operations in over 50, with global headquarters in Boston, Mexico City, Amsterdam and Tel Aviv. The company generated $8.8 billion in revenue in 2021. To learn more, visit: orbia.com.

About Orbia Fluorinated Solutions (Koura)

Orbia’s Fluorinated Solutions business Koura is a global leader in the development, manufacture and supply of fluoroproducts that play a fundamental role in enhancing everyday lives and shortening the path to a sustainable, circular economy. Backed by over 35 years of experience, Koura’s products are used in a vast range of applications including electric vehicles and energy storage, urban and rural infrastructure, indoor climate management, food and medicine refrigeration and even in treating respiratory conditions through the development of healthy and innovative low-GWP propellants for metered-dose inhalers. Koura has 1,600 employees and 13 manufacturing facilities worldwide, serving 60 countries through a global sales and distribution network.

About Kanto Denka Kogyo

Since its founding in 1938, Kanto Denka Kogyo Co., Ltd. has built up specialized technologies and know-how in electrolysis and other fields as well as over 50 years of experience in the manufacture of fluorochemicals. Kanto Denka Kogyo fluorochemical products are indispensable for the manufacture of semiconductors and flat panel displays and their quality is held in extremely high esteem by the market. Lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6), a high-purity electrolyte for lithium-ion secondary batteries that Kanto Denka Kogyo started manufacturing in 1997, is supplied to many customers worldwide. Kanto Denka Kogyo are the only company in Japan to mass-produce this product. Kanto Denka Kogyo will continue striving to be a creative development-driven company, developing unique, highly competitive products that provide value to the world’s most advanced technology and contributing to the realization of a sustainable society.

Media Contact, Orbia

Kacy Karlen
Chief Communications Officer, Orbia
[email protected]
865.410.3001

Media Contact, Koura

Valeria Barragan Villanueva
Director, PM Chemicals and Strategic Marketing, Koura
[email protected]
+44 7873 626557

Media Contact, Kanto Denka Kogyo

Legal & General Affairs Dept.
[email protected]

SOURCE Koura, an Orbia business