Birla Carbon acquires Nanocyl, expanding material portfolio for Lithium Ion batteries

Leading carbon solutions supplier Birla Carbon has completed the acquisition of Nanocyl SA, a worldwide leader in multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT’s) based in Sambreville, Belgium. Birla Carbon said the acquisition expands its presence in the energy systems market, bolstering its position in supplying material critical to Lithium Ion battery performance along with other conductive applications.

Dr Santrupt Misra, group director at Birla Carbon, said: “Birla Carbon has been nurturing a number of innovation opportunities in its effort to realise its multi-prong sustainability agenda. The acquisition of Nanocyl is a clear step towards executing its strategy in that direction. We hope that this partnership will enable Birla Carbon to be a significant player in the emerging energy systems space.

“Aditya Birla Group has been concentrating on investing in sustainability and circularity-driven initiatives led by innovation in order to be future-ready.”

John Loudermilk, president and chief executive officer, Birla Carbon, added: “We are thrilled to welcome Nanocyl into the Birla Carbon family.  Laurent and his experienced team have been pioneers in the field of carbon nanotubes that provide unique performance characteristics for a wide range of applications, most notably energy systems such as lithium-ion batteries.

“Birla Carbon’s commitment to driving growth through innovation in sustainability aligns well with the potential for MWCNTs to enable the electrification of the transportation industry, deliver enormous environmental benefits, and prevent climate change.  We are committed to partnering with our growing family of customers to create unprecedented value with the expanded carbon portfolio of products and technologies.”

Laurent Kosbach, chief executive officer, Nanocyl, stated: “We are proud of our journey to develop and commercialize MWCNT’s successfully over the past 20 years as an entrepreneurial start-up, with the support of our current partners and investors. However, with growing needs for our products, the time has come to join a Global industry leader in order to maximize the synergies and the potential of these materials across many end-uses.

“Birla Carbon’s R&D expertise, portfolio of products, and market experience will enable Nanocyl and our products to reach their full growth potential.”

Along with the Conductex family of conductive carbon black additives and active anode materials, Nanocyl’s advanced MWCNTs provide Birla Carbon with a broader range of solutions for conductive applications.