SK On, EcoProBM and Ford are investing $1.2 billion to build a cathode manufacturing facility that will provide materials that ultimately supply batteries for Ford’s future electric vehicles.
Once production begins in the first half of 2026, the site will have the capacity to produce up to 45,000 tonnes of CAM per year.
This new facility – Ford’s first investment in Québec – is part of the automaker’s plan to localize key battery raw material processing in regions where it produces EVs.
“Ford has been serving customers in Canada for 119 years, and we’re excited to invest in this new facility to create a vertically integrated, closed-loop battery manufacturing supply chain in North America designed to help make electric vehicles more accessible for millions of people over time,” said Bev Goodman, president and chief executive officer, Ford of Canada.”
EcoPro CAM Canada LP will manufacture cathode active materials and, more precisely, high quality Nickel Cobalt Manganese (NCM) for rechargeable batteries that are targeting greater performance levels and improved EV range compared to existing products, thanks in part to EcoPro’s core shell gradient (CSG) technology.
Construction has begun on the 280,000 square-meter (or more than 3 million square-feet) site and will include a 6 floor building that will house approximately 345 new jobs for Canada – from engineers and sales and service professionals to co-op positions for students from local universities and colleges in Québec. EcoPro CAM Canada LP also will pursue research and development activities aiming at increasing battery safety and performance as well as increasing productivity and minimizing the environmental footprint of its manufacturing process.
For SK On, the facility is part of its efforts to secure a supply of key battery materials in North America. The South Korean battery maker has been developing its battery supply chain in the region where demand for EVs is growing fast.
SK On’s annual production capacity in North America is expected to reach more than 180 GWh after 2025, which is enough to power about 1.7 million EVs a year.
Through the joint venture, the Québec facility will become a key landmark for EcoProBM’s pioneering of the North American market. EcoProBM will invest to mass produce and supply 45,000 tonnes of cathode materials, supporting production of up to 225,000 electric vehicles annually.
In 2021, EcoProBM established a cathode material ecosystem in Pohang, Korea – handling everything from recycling waste batteries to producing lithium, precursors and cathode materials.