Sicona Battery Technologies has entered a strategic licensing agreement with Himadri Speciality Chemical Ltd, supported by a AU$15 million investment from Himadri, to scale production of Sicona’s Silicon Carbon anode material, SiCx®. Under the agreement, Himadri will license Sicona’s intellectual property to build and operate a SiCx® production facility in India. Fully funded by Himadri, the plant is intended to meet increasing demand from global cell manufacturers in the electric vehicle, consumer electronics, defence and space sectors.
Proceeds from the investment will expand Sicona’s pilot plant in Australia and ramp up sample production to satisfy major customers qualifying SiCx® for next-generation battery platforms. Sales from the Indian facility will primarily target automotive applications, reinforcing both companies’ positions in the global EV supply chain.
Christiaan Jordaan, CEO and Co-Founder of Sicona, commented that the partnership offers a capital-light approach to commercialisation: “This agreement accelerates our timeline to large-scale production without shouldering first-of-a-kind facility costs alone. Himadri’s manufacturing capabilities and global reach make them an ideal partner.” Royalties from SiCx® sales in India will provide Sicona with a steady revenue stream, enabling the company to focus on developing its own commercial-scale plants in India, the USA and Australia.
SiCx® is a mechanically produced Silicon Carbon material that avoids silane-based gas processes, relying instead on inert raw materials for location-agnostic, cost-competitive manufacturing. When blended with graphite at 5–20% ratios, SiCx® can increase energy density by over 20% and reduce charge times by more than 40%, while remaining compatible with existing lithium-ion battery production lines. These performance gains address key EV adoption barriers—limited driving range and slow charging—and contribute to supply-chain diversification and lower transport emissions.
With over 30 years of experience, Himadri operates eight zero-liquid discharge pitch facilities and distributes products to roughly 56 countries. Anurag Choudhary, Chairman and CEO of Himadri, stated: “By integrating Sicona’s technology with our manufacturing excellence, we are creating a blueprint for innovation-led clean energy leadership.”
Source: PR Newswire
