Draslovka a.s., a global provider of sustainability-focused technologies, reagents, and services for the mining and energy transition sectors, has entered into a research and development (R&D) partnership with Natron Energy, Inc., a prominent U.S. manufacturer of sodium-ion batteries. This collaboration aims to advance the development, commercialization, and large-scale production of high-quality Prussian blue material essential for Natron’s proprietary sodium-ion battery technologies.
The partnership leverages Draslovka’s expertise in proprietary chemistry manufacturing and its existing chemical plant infrastructure in Kolin, Czech Republic. Draslovka has secured the necessary permits and is actively designing and constructing a new reference production facility in Kolin. This facility is expected to begin supplying Natron with Prussian blue materials in 2026, potentially doubling Natron’s battery manufacturing capacity. The Kolin facility will serve as a model for expanding Draslovka’s operations in the United States, supporting Natron’s efforts to scale sodium-ion battery production to meet increasing demand.
Draslovka’s focus on sustainable solutions addresses the global shortage of critical raw materials by reducing reliance on minerals from high-risk or unstable regions. The collaboration with Natron aims to develop an economically viable and sustainable battery industry, enhancing global battery supply chain security. The new production facility in Kolin represents a strategic milestone in Draslovka’s business plan, which emphasizes value-added proprietary technologies and high-quality product offerings.
Pavel Bruzek, CEO of Draslovka, commented: “We are excited to partner with Natron on this project which aims to promote greater standards for sustainability and help pioneer sodium-ion batteries as a real, economically viable option for energy storage, especially short-term energy reserves and data centres. The commercial agreement with Natron is an endorsement of Draslovka’s chemical expertise which makes this project possible. This partnership represents the latest step in the transformation of our revenue streams towards value-add proprietary technologies and sustainable solutions for global industry.
While today we are announcing a new plant at our EU location, we are already considering concrete options to build capability in the U.S. Additionally, we are evaluating opportunities for new production plants elsewhere in the U.S. to fully capitalise on the home-grown technological expertise we have at our flagship plant and as further demand for sodium-ion batteries is unlocked.
This agreement marks the beginning of a long-term global partnership with Natron that will enable a shorter and more resilient supply chain for large scale production of sodium-ion batteries in the US and Europe.”
Wendell Brooks, CEO of Natron, added: “We are pleased to be joining forces with Draslovka on this exciting venture in order to pursue our shared interest of developing sustainable and safe technologies that outperform current solutions.
The battery industry is growing rapidly, and we are scaling our solutions as sodium-ion offers many advantages relative to lithium-ion technology for a wide range of customer use-cases, including data centres to support the explosive growth of AI. As we benefit from increasing market demand, we look forward to pioneering our technology with the support of Draslovka’s unique and specialised expertise.”
This R&D partnership marks the beginning of a long-term global collaboration between Draslovka and Natron Energy, aimed at establishing a resilient and efficient supply chain for large-scale sodium-ion battery production in both the United States and Europe.
Source: Business Wire
