BOSTON, November 2, 2023 – Orbia’s Fluorinated Solutions business and Solvay have signed their joint venture agreement to create the largest polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) production facilities for battery materials in the North America region. This partnership brings security of supply with Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) compliant materials and leading-edge PVDF technology together for solutions that are critical to the North American electric vehicle (EV) transition.
With significant expected growth of the U.S. EV and stationary energy storage market, demand for lithium-ion batteries will grow considerably and necessitate a robust, secure and local supply chain. The Orbia-Solvay partnership secures supply of critical minerals and intermediate materials from Orbia, from which Solvay will manufacture suspension-grade PVDF: a lithium-ion binder and separator coating in electric vehicle batteries. Solvay brings process technology and global market know-how to this venture. In combination, Solvay’s Solef® PVDF innovations and Orbia’s material assets and production expertise will enable delivery of PVDF that allows electric vehicles to go further on each charge, extends battery life and improves battery safety in turn.
Said Ilham Kadri, CEO of Solvay, "We are proud of this important project, which is a key milestone in our electrification strategy, emphasizing our global commitment to sustainable mobility. Our partnership with Orbia puts us in the driving seat to shore up an independent, sustainable EV battery supply chain in North America and create clean energy jobs."
"Our partnership with Solvay underscores our continued commitment to enabling the clean energy transition with our investments in energy materials. Orbia has a unique 'mine-to-market' position with integration in key battery materials needed to bolster North America's EV supply chain and be IRA- compliant," said Sameer Bharadwaj, CEO of Orbia.
Orbia and Solvay intend to use two production sites: one in Augusta, Georgia for finished products and one in St. Gabriel, Louisiana for raw material conversion to needed intermediates. Both plants are expected to be operational in 2026.
The company’s participation in this joint venture contributes to the company’s overall strategic position as a key supplier of battery materials, including electrolyte salts such as LiPF6, custom electrolyte formulations, specialty battery additives and recycled anodes.