BOSTON, APRIL 19, 2022 – Orbia's Fluorinated Solutions business Koura, a global solutions leader in the fluorine and advanced materials space, announced today that it has signed a fluoropolymer technology license agreement with PrimeStar Technologies and InnoVent Technology. The agreement provides Koura with access to scaling technology for fluoropolymers used to manufacture solar panels, wind turbines and lithium-ion batteries. This agreement is the culmination of a collaborative partnership that began in 2021.
Koura owns and operates the world's largest fluorspar mine and works with industry partners and researchers to develop and manufacture a wide range of advanced fluorine materials including electrolyte salts, binders and high-performance electrolyte additives for lithium-ion batteries. Given Koura's unique "mine to market" vertically integrated position in the fluorine value chain, and coupled with expertise in fluorine technology, Koura is developing next-generation fluoropolymers that can deliver improved safety, performance and sustainability while securing lithium-ion battery supply chains in North America, Europe, and other key markets.
Gregg Smith, President of Orbia Fluorinated Solutions, said, "Our energy materials strategy is clear: we will invest in solutions that enable the world's rapid transition to renewables. We are excited to license and scale this technology to bring key fluoropolymer solutions to the market."
Over the past several years, PrimeStar Technologies has built a portfolio of technologies in fluoropolymers. Dr. Joshua Levy, PrimeStar's Chief Technology Officer, commented, "With a dedicated team of highly experienced chemists and engineers in this field, our company has the capability to provide process technologies for a diverse portfolio of fluoropolymers."
Vibhu Sharma, CEO of InnoVent added, "We are excited to be part of this project and bring our expertise in process simulation, comprehensive engineering and automation solutions, and turnkey process plants. This project is an important step toward providing customer-focused solutions for a number of applications in the renewable energy space. We look forward to a successful execution and completion of this key step."