Cabot completes acquisition of Tokai carbon black plant in China

Cabot completes acquisition of Tokai carbon black plant in China

Carbon black supplier Cabot Corporation says that it has completed its previously announced acquisition of Tokai Carbon (Tianjin) Co., Ltd from Tokai Carbon Group.

The acquisition expands Cabot’s manufacturing capacity to support the growth of its battery materials product line, while continuing to serve existing carbon black customers. The site can currently produce up to 50,000 tonnes/year of carbon black. As conductive carbon additives play a key role in battery chemistry and performance, Cabot plans to invest to upgrade the capabilities of the site to produce battery grades to support the rapid development and growth in lithium-ion batteries driven by increased electrification of the vehicle fleet.

“Lithium-ion batteries is one of the fastest growing end markets, and our customers value us as a strategic partner and industry leader in conductive carbon additives. This acquisition directly aligns with our strategy to invest for advantaged growth while developing innovative products and processes ?that enable a more sustainable future,” said Cabot President/CEO Sean Keohane. “We are pleased to complete this acquisition and officially welcome our new colleagues to Cabot. We are committed to investing in and connecting the capabilities across our carbon black network to further help our customers accelerate innovation, while leading in performance and sustainability.”

Cabot will also invest in advanced environmental controls to continue to operate responsibly and in compliance with local regulations, while actively working to reduce its own impact. The first phase of upgrades and conversion to battery materials is anticipated to be completed by early 2024.