Sicona, a pioneer in next-generation battery materials, has signed a transformational licensing and investment agreement with Himadri Speciality Chemical Ltd, a major Indian specialty chemicals manufacturer. The AU$15 million cornerstone investment from Himadri will fund the expansion of Sicona鈥檚 pilot operations in Australia and support scaling efforts to meet growing demand for its proprietary Silicon Carbon anode material, SiCx庐. Global battery manufacturers serving the electric vehicle (EV), consumer electronics, defense and space sectors are actively qualifying SiCx庐 for next-generation battery applications.
As part of the agreement, Himadri will license the complete intellectual property suite necessary to establish a SiCx庐 production facility in India. Fully funded by Himadri, the plant is being fast-tracked to meet rising global demand鈥攑rimarily in the automotive sector鈥攑ositioning both companies within critical EV supply chains.
鈥淭his deal is transformative for Sicona,鈥� said Christiaan Jordaan, CEO and co-founder of Sicona. 鈥淚t enables us to commercialize SiCx庐 at unprecedented speed and scale without the financial burden of a first-of-a-kind facility. Himadri鈥檚 manufacturing expertise and global reach make them the ideal partner.鈥�
The licensing model provides Sicona with a capital-light path to commercial scale, generating royalties from Indian sales while the company focuses on building its own production facilities. This strategy strengthens Sicona鈥檚 position as a leader in Silicon Carbon anode technology.
鈥淭his partnership proves that early-stage climate tech can overcome commercialization hurdles with the right partners,鈥� Jordaan said. 鈥淥ur focus is now firmly on delivering new facilities in India and the United States.鈥�
SiCx庐 stands out as a non-silane, mechanical Silicon Carbon material that avoids the cost, volatility and emissions associated with silane-based processes. Using inert, safe raw materials, the technology enables flexible, location-agnostic manufacturing and competitive pricing without compromising performance. When blended with graphite (typically 5鈥�20%), SiCx庐 increases energy density by over 20% and reduces charge times by more than 40%, while remaining compatible with current lithium-ion battery manufacturing processes. These advantages address major EV adoption barriers鈥攔ange limitations and long charging times鈥攁nd support cleaner, diversified supply chains.
With more than three decades of manufacturing experience, Himadri operates eight zero-liquid discharge pitch facilities and distributes its products in over 50 countries.
鈥淭his collaboration marks a turning point for advanced battery materials,鈥� said Anurag Choudhary, Himadri chairman and CEO. 鈥淏y integrating Sicona鈥檚 innovation with Himadri鈥檚 scale, we鈥檙e accelerating a global clean energy solution.鈥�
Sicona also recently announced plans to build a 6,500-tpa facility in the southeastern United States, with long-term capacity goals of 26,500 tpa. Now spanning three continents, Sicona is poised to become a global leader in Si/C anode production.
