Ascend Elements to Supply Recycled Lithium Carbonate to Koura, Orbia’s Fluorinated Solutions Business

WESTBOROUGH, MASS. - Ascend Elements, a vertically integrated lithium-ion battery recycling and engineered materials company, will supply Koura, an Orbia business and one of the world’s largest producers of fluoroproducts and advanced technologies, with up to 5,000 metric tons of recycled and recovered lithium carbonate per year. Koura will use the recycled lithium carbonate as the source for lithium-ion battery materials in the United States and European markets, including lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6), an essential electrolyte salt. The supply agreement with Ascend Elements will enable Koura to generate enough material to support the production of more than one million electric vehicles per year. With more than half of U.S. and European car sales projected to be electric by 2030, demand for regional material supply is increasing.

"Koura is leading the industry's efforts to incorporate recycled content into materials for lithium-ion batteries," said Ascend Elements CEO Mike O'Kronley. "By recovering lithium and other critical metals from used lithium-ion batteries and manufacturing scrap, we are keeping those materials out of landfills while also making EV batteries cleaner and more sustainable."

“Ascend Elements has been an ideal development partner for our Koura business, given our shared focus on renewable technologies and the massive opportunities for companies pioneering in batteries and energy storage,” said Sameer Bharadwaj, CEO of Orbia. “Our partnership with Ascend has accelerated our material innovation activities as we work to advance life around the world.”

Added Gregg Smith, President of Orbia Fluorinated Solutions (Koura), “Koura’s ongoing partnership with Ascend has led to gains in process technologies and fluorinated chemistries that yield sustainable materials for the high-performing lithium-ion batteries needed in major global markets. We are steering the electrified future together.”

Ascend Elements’ battery recycling process recovers lithium carbonate from used lithium-ion batteries and manufacturing scrap for sale to battery materials companies, such as Koura. The recycled lithium is also used by Ascend Elements as part of its patented Hydro-to-Cathode™ direct precursor synthesis process to produce sustainably engineered cathode precursor (pCAM) and cathode active materials (CAM).

The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act provides incentives for the use of domestic and recycled sources of critical battery materials, including lithium. Peer-reviewed studies have shown recycled battery metals can perform as well as virgin metals while reducing carbon emissions associated with mining.

About Ascend Elements

Based in Westborough, Mass., Ascend Elements is the leading provider of sustainable, closed-loop battery material solutions. From EV battery recycling to commercial-scale production of lithium-ion battery precursor (pCAM) and cathode active materials (CAM), Ascend Elements is revolutionizing the production of sustainable lithium-ion battery materials. Its Hydro-to-Cathode™ direct precursor synthesis technology produces new CAM from spent lithium-ion cells more efficiently than traditional methods, resulting in reduced cost, improved performance, and lowered GHG emissions. With fewer batteries going to landfill and a cleaner manufacturing process, Ascend Elements is taking the lithium-ion battery industry to a higher level of sustainability.

About Orbia

Orbia is a company driven by a shared purpose: to advance life around the world. Orbia operates in the Polymer Solutions (Vestolit and Alphagary), Building and Infrastructure (Wavin), Precision Agriculture (Netafim), Connectivity Solutions (Dura-Line) and Fluorinated Solutions (Koura) sectors. The five Orbia business groups have a collective focus on expanding access to health and wellness, reinventing the future of cities and homes, ensuring food and water security, connecting communities to information and accelerating a circular economy with basic and advanced materials, specialty products and innovative solutions. Orbia has a global team of over 23,000 employees, commercial activities in more than 110 countries and operations in over 50, with global headquarters in Boston, Mexico City, Amsterdam and Tel Aviv. The company generated $8.8 billion in revenue in 2021. To learn more, visit: orbia.com.

About Orbia Fluorinated Solutions (Koura)

Orbia's Fluorinated Solutions business Koura is a global leader in the development, manufacture and supply of fluoroproducts that play a fundamental role in enhancing everyday lives and shortening the path to a sustainable, circular economy. Backed by over 35 years of experience, Koura's products are used in a vast range of applications including electric vehicles and energy storage, urban and rural infrastructure, indoor climate management, food and medicine refrigeration and even in treating respiratory conditions through the development of healthy and innovative low-GWP propellants for metered-dose inhalers. Koura has 1,600 employees and 13 manufacturing facilities worldwide, serving 60 countries through a global sales and distribution network. To learn more, visit: kouraglobal.com