German-Canadian company Rock Tech Lithium has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China-based Ronbay Technology over a fully localised battery materials supply chain in Europe.
The firm said at the core of the MoU is the long-term supply of battery-grade lithium hydroxide from Rock Tech to Ronbay’s European cathode production facilities to produce battery-related components for European demand.
Ronbay said it would offer direct support including technical resources and potential investment to ensure a continuation of Rock Tech’s lithium converter development located at the German-Polish border in Guben, Germany.
This facility is said to become Europe’s first commercial lithium hydroxide refinery, with the aim of producing 24,000 tonnes of battery-grade lithium hydroxide annually. This would be enough to supply 500,000 electric vehicles annually.
The company said the strategic partnership covers an important part of local battery production, and is ideal with its CAM facility located in Poland.
Both companies will collaborate on market development, including Ronbay’s European offtake commitments and customer acquisition efforts in the battery and automotive sectors.
“Ronbay’s interest in sourcing lithium locally produced in Europe is a clear signal of strategic alignment. This partnership will act as a flywheel, accelerating and amplifying our shared commitment to building a resilient battery value chain in Europe,” said Mirco Wojnarowicz, CEO of Rock Tech Lithium. “With Ronbay’s technical expertise and local CAM operations in Europe, we enhance our ability to fast-track execution and scale operations with greater efficiency.”
“Ronbay’s European Project marks a pivotal step in our global strategy. Our partnership with Rock Tech will accelerate the localisation of raw materials for the project and further strengthening our presence in the European market”, said the head of supply chain at Ronbay.
Image: The two companies have signed an MoU for battery materials
