Sodium-ion battery cathode material producer and supported start-up Altris AB has signed a deal with Sandvik Materials Technology AB to house the company’s first industrial scale manufacturing facility in Sandviken, Sweden. The new facility, called ‘Ferrum’, will have the annual capacity to produce 2000 metric tonnes of Altris’ ground-breaking cathode material Fennac – enabling 1GWh of sustainable sodium-ion batteries to enter the market each year.

The site for Ferrum was selected based on the impressive infrastructure and onsite expertise that is available, which will facilitate the installation and ongoing support needs for the production facility. This expertise derives from the Sandvik AB’s long industrial experience in Sweden. The site also allows for upscaling of production in the years to come. The location decision was also made based on Sandviken Municipality’s and the Gävleborg Region’s particular support of new industrial developments in the region that support the move towards a fossil free energy future.

Ferrum will be the first industrial home for the production of Fennac, a sodium-ion battery cathode material that is extraordinarily sustainable, due to the non-toxic and abundant elements it consists of. Whilst this type of material is not entirely new in itself, Altris has a new and patented method for manufacturing that uses low temperature and ambient pressure — making it a more sustainable and cost-efficient alternative.

"We’re delighted to name Sandviken as the home of our first industrial manufacturing facility" says Tim Nordh, Altris CTO. "Ferrum is not only an important milestone in Altris’ history, but its very existence shows the confidence of our investors and customers in the future of sodium-ion batteries".

"It’s great news that Altris wants to establish their business in Sandviken municipality. Altris will also be a strong addition to our brand Sandviken Pure Power™", says Jan Fagerström, Head of Business Unit, Sandviken Municipality. "The establishment was made possible thanks to a constructive collaboration with Sandvik Materials Technology".

Work to establish production in the 1800m2 Ferrum facility will begin in the spring of 2022, with the first output expected to materialise in early 2023. Sandviken becomes the third of Altris’ locations, joining the company’s Head Office and Research Laboratory in Uppsala, Sweden and Sales Office in Guangzhou, China.

Source: Altris' press release