The licensing agreement was signed with LiFePO₄+C Licensing AG, an affiliate of Clariant AG, which has been established in agreement with the patent owners. Prayon is the sixth company to reach such an agreement with LiFePO₄+C, which grants a limited number of sub-licenses to suitable LFP/LMP producers capable to address the market demand with high quality products.

Prayon built a pilot plant for the manufacture of lithium iron phosphate based on a high-speed, low-cost continuous process. A new production facility will be operated in Belgium (at its main production site in Engis) in summer 2012. Prayon has committed to establish further industrial-size manufacturing facilities in France and in the Province of Québec in the coming years.

Thanks to our unique patented production process, Prayon has the capability to produce lithium boron iron phosphate with outstanding performance at competitive cost. This licensing agreement will now help us to address the growing demand from global battery and automotive industries for reliable sources of high quality lithium iron phosphate.

—Yves Caprara, CEO of Prayon Group

Lithium iron phosphate is a cathode material the performance and superior safety profile of which offer great potential for hybrid and electric vehicle batteries as well as stationary applications (solar and wind power storage systems).

The Prayon Group is owned jointly by the Office Chérifien des Phosphates (OCP S.A.) and the Wallonia Regional Investment Company (SRIW), which have equal stakes in it. With manufacturing operations in Belgium, France and the United States, Prayon serves a global customer base with a range of purified phosphoric acids, phosphate salts and fluorine products.