The company Vianode has decided to invest NOK 2 billion in the new factory at Herøya industrial park in Telemark. The factory will produce battery materials that correspond to the needs of around 20,000 electric cars a year by 2024. The decision is an important step in the work to establish a complete battery value chain in Norway for the European market, Vianode writes in a press release. – With the help of solid support from the owners Elkem, Hydro and Altor, Vianode has laid a solid foundation to succeed in becoming a leading industrial company in advanced battery materials, produced in a sustainable way. That’s what Asbjørn Søvik, acting managing director and working chairman of Vianode, says. BIG DAY: – A fantastic day, said general manager of Vianode, Stian Madshus at the press conference at Herøya industrial park on Wednesday, together with county mayor Terje Riis-Johansen, deputy mayor of Porsgrunn, Anne Kristine Grøtting, and ski mayor Hedda Foss Five. Photo: Martin Torstveit / news – It’s a fantastic day, said Stian Madshus, general manager for Europe at Vianode, at the press conference on Wednesday morning. 100 new employees The company currently has around 60 employees. By 2023, they will hire 100 new employees. The investment is part of a larger investment plan, and takes place in parallel with preparations for the next phase of development. The aim is to deliver battery materials for 2 million electric cars a year by 2030. If the company goes ahead with these plans, the number of employees can be increased to 300 by 2026, Vianode states. Reduces CO₂ emissions The graphite materials from Vianode are produced with up to 90 per cent lower CO₂ emissions than today’s standard materials, the company states. The materials improve the properties of batteries. Among other things, it contributes to faster charging, increased range and longer life, as well as improves safety and makes it easier to recycle the batteries. Global demand for batteries is growing rapidly, driven by the green shift, the company points out. But there is not sufficient escalation when it comes to the production of battery materials. Vianode aims until 2030 to solve the significant shortage in Europe of such materials. – Authorities and car manufacturers are also increasingly focused on sustainable value chains and here Vianode has a unique starting point to make a difference with our low CO₂ footprint, says Stian Madshus, general manager for Europe at Vianode. Important investment A great and joyful day, says Deputy Mayor of Porsgrunn, Anne Kristine Grøtting. – We are getting a production that has never existed in Europe, and now it is being established here. We want more batteries and electricity production. This is a step in the right direction, she says. At a time when so much business is struggling, this has a significance for the whole of Norway, says county mayor in Vestfold and Telemark, Terje Riis-Johansen. – I think the project today has value in a national context, also beyond Grenland. It shows that we can continue to develop our country and create green jobs. There are opportunities despite the war in Europe and the fact that costs are running rampant, he says.
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New factory can provide several hundred jobs in the long term – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
