NEWS
Multiple lithium deals for two
BASF in two CAM deals
BASF has agreed to partner with China ’ s SVOLT on the supply of cathode active materials ( CAMs ), R & D into sustainable battery materials and the ultimate recycling of battery cells . They will also assess joint upstream sourcing . Financial terms were not disclosed . SVOLT specialises in cobalt-free and solid-state batteries , claiming to have a unique high-speed stacking technology as well as automotivegrade AI intelligent manufacturing . It has R & D centres in China , plus others in Japan , Korea and India . BASF , meanwhile , has what it calls “ a broad portfolio of mid- to high-nickel , manganese-rich , cobalt-free CAMs ” This followed on from a similar partnership signed in September with new energy technologies firm Contemporary Amperex Technology ( CATL ), which plans to build its first lithium-ion battery in Europe , at Leipzig . BASF said that the collaboration “ aims at developing a sustainable battery value chain , in support of CATL ’ s localisation in Europe and contributes to achieving both companies ’ global carbon neutrality goals ”. Separately , BASF has agreed to sell its Precision Microchemicals business to Entegris , a specialist in chemicals and advanced materials for the microelectronics industry , for $ 90 million . This should be completed by the end of 2021 . Part of the Surface Treatment business unit , the business makes high purity materials , including cleaning chemistries and CMP for slurries for
Two major chemical companies have separately concluded supply deals that will boost their presence in lithium for the burgeoning batteries market in recent months . Albemarle signed investment agreements that will enable it to build two further lithium hydroxide plants in China : one in at the Yangtze River International Chemical Industrial Park in Jiangsu , and one in the Pengshan Economic Development Park in Sichuan province . Each will have 50,000 tonnes / year of capacity and construction is to be completed by the end of 2024 . Shortly before this , the company had agreed to acquire lithium converter Guangxi Tianyuan New Energy Materials for $ 200 million . This should close in early 2022 . Tianyuan ’ s operations include a 25,000 tonnes / year plant near the port of Qinzhou that should be completed in 1H 2022 . This is capable of producing battery-grade lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide . Meanwhile , Umicore signed separate five-year , renewable lithium supply agreements with two companies on different continents : Ganfeng Lithium of Jiangxi , China , and Vulcan Energy Resources of Karlsruhe , Germany . Both are integral to its cathode business and to its own environmental commitment . The first agreement will come into effect in 2022 and will cover a significant part of Umicore ’ s future lithium requirements in Asia . The lithium is mined from hard-rock deposits in Australia under strict sustainability standards . The second takes effect as of 2025 and will enable Umicore to purchase between 28,000 and 42,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide over the duration of the contract . This will be supplied within the framework of Vulcan ’ s Zero Carbon Lithium project in Germany , which uses naturally occurring renewable geothermal energy to extract the lithium from a deep brine , emitting no CO 2 in the process .
Sitagliptin supply deal signed
Following on from the extension of a long-standing supply agreement with Merck & Co . for a proprietary enzyme used in the manufacture of sitagliptin , Codexis has reached a manufacturing agreement with two other firms . Sitagliptin is the API in Merck ’ s Januvia and one of the APIs in Janumet . Under the tri-party collaboration agreement , Indian API producer Almelo will develop a manufacturing process incorporating the enzyme and will carry out the manufacture . RC2 Pharma Connect , a US-based manufacturing representative , will seek to establish downstream drug product manufacture for the future generic market . Codexis ’ supply relationship with Merck for sitagliptin dates back to 2012 and was renewed again in 2015 before being renewed again in September until the end of 2026 . It could then be renewed for a further five years by mutual consent .
14 SPECIALITY CHEMICALS MAGAZINE ESTABLISHED 1981