battery manufacturing

France’s Saft and Chinese lead-acid battery group Tianneng Energy Technology have formed a joint venture (JV) to expand lithium-ion manufacturing and “scale up its e-mobility and energy storage businesses”.

The JV will “primarily focus on the development, manufacturing and sales of advanced lithium-ion cells, modules and packs”. Production will be based at Tianneng’s Changxing factory, with a potential annual manufacturing capacity of 5.5GWh.

“This is a first strategic move driven by Total, following its acquisition of Saft in 2016,” said Patrick Poyanné, CEO of Total, the French battery manufacturer’s parent company. “The JV will allow Saft to join forces with a Chinese partner, a world leading lead-acid battery manufacturer, willing to develop its lithium-ion activities.

US-based battery storage firm Powin has secured a 1.85GWh supply pipeline of lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) cells from Chinese battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited (CATL).

CATL will supply the cells into 2022 for Powin’s Stack modular battery energy storage systems, which are utilised in various utility scale, commercial, and industrial battery energy storage systems— “including the largest batteries in both Canada and Mexico”.

The Indian government has approved a ‘National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage’ that aims to transform mobility in India.

The move will see the introduction of a “sustainable mobility ecosystem” and push ahead with the government’s ‘Make in India’ programme to boost domestic manufacturing”.

Under the initiative— approved by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s (pictured) cabinet— two phased manufacturing programmes (PMPs) will be established and will be valid for five years, up until 2024.

UK-based chemicals company Johnson Matthey (JM) has signed a long-term agreement to supply battery cathode material to Dutch lithium-ion producer, Lithium Werks (LW).

Under the agreement— which will run for five years, commencing 1 April 2019— JM will supply lithium iron phosphate (LFP) material manufactured at its Changzhou, China facility.

In September 2018, JM sold its automotive battery business to US-based Cummins, allowing the company to focus on “developing commercial battery materials for the full range of transport applications”.

Canadian deep cycle lead-acid battery maker Surrette is expanding its production facility in Nova Scotia, to “boost its global competitiveness and spur business growth”.

The 25,000 sq. ft. expansion to the Surrette Battery Company’s Springhill plant will be accompanied by the incorporation of “advanced robotics and automation” at its production facility.

Contrary to many wider fears of the undesirable effects of automation, Surrette’s actions will cause them to hire an additional 18 “highly-skilled workers”, taking their total roll-call to 100.