A new company has joined the growing North American battery material industry. Anovion has been launched with “key assets contributed by affiliates of Amsted Graphite Materials,” and the acquisition of the battery materials division of Pyrotek, a manufacturer of synthetic graphite anode material.

The company boasts a capacity for anode powder graphitization of 5,000 tpa (tons per annum), which it claims is the largest in North America today. An expansion plant, planned to launch by 2025, will boost capacity up to 50,000 tpa.

Anovion uses “proven, reliable, scalable graphitization technology to ensure a product with high crystallinity and low impurities.”

“Long-life batteries need high-purity, highly consistent anode material that drives strong preference for synthetic graphite,” said Ian McCallum, Chief Growth Officer at Anovion (formerly a VP at Amsted Graphite Materials). “Our integrated, 100% domestic supply chain includes US-sourced raw materials as well as multiple manufacturing operations, research and development hubs, and other office locations throughout the country.”

“Synthetic graphite is critical to the USA’s migration to an electrified future,” said Eric Stopka, CEO of Anovion. “But foreign producers, overwhelmingly from China, have controlled the global supply of anode material. Launching Anovion is a huge step toward securing the supply chain of our electrified future in the United States and throughout North America.”

Anovion says its pilot operations include a proprietary thermal treatment process that brings its direct emissions to near zero, and uses clean, cost-effective hydroelectric power.

“Anovion uses advanced technologies and follows environmentally responsible manufacturing practices that yield high purity and exceptional quality without compromising throughput,” said Dr. Jeremy Schrooten, VP of Technology at Anovion (formerly of Pyrotek).

Source: Anovion