Altris, the Swedish sodium‑ion battery specialist, has formed a strategic partnership with Draslovka, the global chemicals group, to establish what they describe as Europe’s first industrial‑scale sodium‑ion CAM value chain.
The agreement includes a €19.3 million ($22.4m) in‑kind investment from Draslovka, supporting the scale‑up of Altris’ patented sodium‑ion cathode active material (CAM) at Draslovka’s Kolín site in the Czech Republic. Once operational, the facility is expected to supply up to 350 tonnes of CAM each year.
The collaboration centres on converting an existing production line at Kolín to manufacture Altris’ sodium‑ion CAM. This approach is intended to accelerate commercial readiness while keeping capital requirements in check. When fully ramped, the line will deliver a European‑controlled CAM supply equivalent to roughly 175MWh of sodium‑ion cell output.
Draslovka’s €19.3 million strategic contribution will co‑fund the line conversion and secure long‑term access for Altris to Draslovka’s licences, process expertise and a jointly developed plant design. Production is targeted to begin in late Q3 or early Q4 2026.
The move aligns with Europe’s push to localise battery materials and diversify beyond lithium‑dependent supply chains. By anchoring cathode active material production in Kolín and preparing for future expansion, the partners aim to strengthen Western access to sodium‑ion technology and reduce exposure to imported materials.
“Europe is no longer waiting for sodium-ion to mature elsewhere – we are industrialising it here, with Western manufacturing and Western supply,” said Christer Bergquist, CEO of Altris.
