A firm specialising in advanced cell technology for next generation rechargeable batteries to power buses and trucks, is aiming to create hundreds of new jobs in south Wales.
With the support of a £3.2m equity investment from the Development Bank of Wales, Oxis Energy is developing the world's first ever manufacturing plant for the production of electrolyte and cathode active material specifically for the mass production of lithium sulfur cells.
The plant will be built at the Kenfig Industrial Estate, where Oxis has signed a 15-year lease with landlord United 海角视频 Real Estate Investment Industrial Holdings.
The operation will have a workforce of 56 by 2023, but is forecasting to create hundreds more over the next decade.
Electrolyte and cathode active material will be produced for worldwide export.
The plant will supply the Oxis Energy Brazil Holding’s manufacturing plant - which is a joint venture with the state government of Minas Gerais in Brazil.
The Brazilian operation will make rechargeable lithium sulphur batteries.
Oxis, currently based in Oxfordshire, will retain its research and development activity in the 海角视频.
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It will also collaborate with Codemig, a wholly owned company controlled by the State of Minas Gerais, to jointly exploit lithium rock deposit for the production of world class lithium metal, which is used by Oxis for its Li-S cells.
Oxis is also collaborating with other European companies, such as Siemens AG who have expertise in digital manufacturing and cyber security.
The objective is to produce the active material in Port Talbot in order to supply the cell capacity production in millions of units from 2020 to 2030
Welshman and chief executive of Oxis Energy, Huw Hampson-Jones, said: “With support from both the state government of Minas Gerais and the Welsh Government, including the investment made by the Development Bank of Wales, Oxis is working towards the commercialisation of mass production of lithium sulfur cells for electric batteries in order to address our target markets - aviation, marine and buses and trucks."
He said the western seaboard of the ports in Wales, Cardiff, Newport, Port Talbot and Swansea, were ideally placed and accessible for exports to Brazil. Oxis will decide on the port of embarkation of the goods in the next 18-24-months.
Mr Hampson-Jones, who chairs Wales in London, added: "We believe this will create even more jobs in Wales.
"In many cases we shall be creating a highly skilled workforce, and indeed, Wales is the only nation in the 海角视频, where it is seeking to promote bilingualism, which is the basis for multilingual skills, an essential requirement for Oxis in its expansion plans for its long-term growth in the export of goods."