Ford, South Korean battery supplier SK On, and EcoProBM plan to invest CAD$1.2 billion (US$800+ million) in Québec, Canada, on a cathode manufacturing facility.
The cathode facility will be located in Bécancour, Québec. The facility will create approximately 345 new jobs in Bécancour. Production at the cathode manufacturing plant is targeted to begin by the first half of 2026.
Ford’s US$800+ million cathode facility will provide materials for the legacy automaker’s electric vehicle batteries. It is expected to produce up to 45,000 tonnes of CAM annually once production starts. EcoProBM specializes in mass-producing cathode materials and will oversee the manufacturing process. The company will manufacture high-quality Nickel Cobalt Manganese (NCM) for rechargeable batteries.
Construction on Ford and SK On’s 280,000 sq.m (3M+ sq. ft) cathode manufacturing plant is underway. The site will include a six-floor building for engineers, sales and service professionals, and other employees working at the facility. Ford and SK One also plan to open co-op positions for students from local universities and colleges in Québec.
Ford and SK On have teamed up for similar projects in other parts of the world, like the $5.8 billion Blue Oval SK Battery Park in Glendale, Kentucky. The two companies have signed a joint venture for their partnership in the United States. Similarly, Ford and SK On plan to enter into a joint venture with EcProBM’s EcoPro CAM Canada LP arm for the project in Québec. Ford’s growing EV supply chain in North America could help its electric vehicles qualify for the Inflation Reduction Act’s EV tax incentives.
“Ford has been serving customers in Canada for 119 years, longer than any other automaker, and we’re excited to invest in this new facility to create a vertically integrated, closed-loop battery manufacturing supply chain in North America designed to help make electric vehicles more accessible for millions of people over time,” said Ford Canada’s President and CEO Bev Goodman. “We’re excited about the opportunity for our first-ever investment in Québec with a new facility that will help shape the EV ecosystem there.”
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