15 May 2025
Kolkata – Himadri Speciality Chemical is set to establish India’s first silicon-carbon plant, following a strategic technology licensing agreement with Sicona, an Australian next-generation battery materials company. Under the partnership, Himadri gains the rights to access, localize, and commercialize Sicona’s proprietary silicon-carbon anode technology in India—a breakthrough widely recognized as one of the most promising innovations in lithium-ion battery performance globally, according to Chairman and Managing Director Anurag Chowdhary.
Kolkata – Himadri Speciality Chemical is set to establish India’s first silicon-carbon plant, following a strategic technology licensing agreement with Sicona, an Australian next-generation battery materials company. Under the partnership, Himadri gains the rights to access, localize, and commercialize Sicona’s proprietary silicon-carbon anode technology in India—a breakthrough widely recognized as one of the most promising innovations in lithium-ion battery performance globally, according to Chairman and Managing Director Anurag Chowdhary.
In 2023, the Kolkata-based company invested ₹58 crore to acquire a 12.5% stake in Sicona through its wholly owned special purpose vehicle, Elixir Carbo Private Limited. Building on this strategic move, Himadri has now invested an additional ₹81 crore via compulsory convertible notes in Sicona to further deepen the partnership.
Chowdhary highlighted the advantages of Sicona’s SiCx® material, noting that, when combined with conventional graphite (in proportions of 5–20%), it can boost energy density by 20% and charging performance by 40%. These improvements translate into greater range per charge and faster charging times—directly addressing two key barriers to widespread electric vehicle (EV) adoption.
The upcoming plant is expected to be located in Odisha, with the company currently evaluating the required investment. Chowdhary emphasized that this collaboration is timely, as countries worldwide push to localize battery production and reduce dependence on concentrated supply chains.
“This partnership puts India at the forefront of battery technology in the global energy transition,” he said. “SiCx® is a game-changing innovation that can be seamlessly integrated into existing lithium-ion battery anodes, offering a scalable and commercially viable path to significantly enhanced battery performance.”
The detailed article published timesofindia.indiatimes.com can be accessed from https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/himadri-chem-partners-with-sicona-for-indias-first-silicon-carbon-plant/articleshow/121147159.cms?utm_source=chatgpt.com
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