Graphex Technologies in Royal Oak, a subsidiary of Graphex Group Limited, announced that as part of its previously announced collaboration with Emerald Energy Solutions, the Emerald Business Park in Warren has been selected as the site of a new 150,000 square-foot graphite processing facility expected to cost between $50 and $60 million.
The processing facility would be developed under a joint venture between Graphex and EES, a team made up of lifelong Michiganders, and establish US-based processing of a critical mineral element for use in the production of lithium-ion electric vehicle (EV) batteries. It is expected to bring about 125 new jobs at full capacity and add new technology to the area.
“Auto manufacturing runs through the veins of Warren and her workforce, and we are thrilled to play a role in the revitalization of the city’s and the industry’s storied tradition,” says John DeMaio, CEO of Graphex Technologies and president of the graphene division of Graphex.
“The significance of this milestone cannot be overstated, not just for Graphex as we execute on our global diversification and expansion strategy, but for the overall US EV industry as it begins to extricate itself from overly complex supply chains.”
Graphex expects the facility will be capable of delivering up to 15,000 metric tons per annum (TPA) of coated purified spherical graphite and that it will be operational before the end of Q2 2023.
Coated purified spherical graphite is the predominant anode material for most lithium-ion batteries used in EVs and renewable energy storage. The facility would provide timely and localized anode material production capabilities to supply major North American EV automakers and EV battery manufacturers and to deliver consistent high-quality materials at scale, greatly mitigating some of the supply chain interruption concerns that have plagued the EV industry in the past.
“The city of Warren welcomes Graphex and looks forward to the development of the new graphite processing facility within our automotive-centric city,” says Warren Mayor James R. Fouts. “For decades, Warren has served as an integral location for the auto industry to fuel innovation and design, and to power new technologies. As the collective shift to electric vehicles occurs, Warren will once again serve as an essential region to meet the needs of industry leaders like Graphex.”
The EBP facility will house production, storage, testing, and administrative offices. The site’s historical character as a 20thcentury supplier to the automotive industry is meaningful and noteworthy to both EES and Graphex. All 150,000 square feet of the buildings that will be used to produce, store, test, and distribute EV battery anode material were previously home to one of the more significant electroplating and rustproofing service providers to time-honored Michigan automakers.
A plaque found on site dating back to 1963 will be preserved for its historical distinction, serving as a reminder of the past and as a motivation to return an otherwise defunct site back to its original vitality and usefulness in the community and the industry.
“It is also fitting that as the automotive industry re-invents itself and evolves, we are able to upcycle a site that once hummed with automotive activity to give it new life in the EV revolution and we could not be more pleased with EES’s no-nonsense approach and superior execution capabilities,” says DeMaio. “The opportunity to realize a high growth market opportunity while at the same time sharing our technological expertise and creating much needed well-paying jobs in the Warren community is an all-around win.
This facility would be the first of several that Graphex may potentially construct in the US, Canada, and Europe as warranted by market conditions and commercial opportunities.
