A NEW state-of-the-art battery plant has opened near Didcot and will play an important role in accelerating the charging of electric cars.
Johnson Matthey’s battery technology center officially opened on Friday morning. The new plant will create jobs for the region and a hub for battery skills.
The company said the move to electric cars is critical to a net-zero future. Johnson Matthey’s science and technology says they are at the heart of this shift, with next-generation battery materials that will enable electric cars to go further and charge faster.
The company also announced a new commitment to be net zero by 2040.
Robert MacLeod, Chief Executive, said, “This new facility marks an important milestone in our journey to developing a sustainable battery materials ecosystem and underscores the progress we are making in commercializing our battery materials business. Johnson Matthey has a growing suite of solutions that can help decarbonize society on a large scale. At the same time, we are doing our part by driving our own operations and supply chains forward to achieve net zero by 2040. ”
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The new battery technology center is the company’s flagship, where battery materials for electric cars are manufactured and carried out for electric cars, tailored to customers’ specific applications.
For JM, this represents a £ 13 million investment that is part of a larger and significant investment in battery materials technology that will create around 30 new high-quality jobs.
Economy Secretary Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng, MP, officially opened the center, saying, “I am very excited to open this exciting state-of-the-art battery technology center in the heart of Oxfordshire’s innovation economy. This center plays an important role in our plans to advance new, low-cost technologies that will make the adoption of electric vehicles more convenient for motorists as they transition from diesel and gasoline cars. ”
He added, “Supporting new battery technologies and electrifying the auto supply chain are at the heart of our plans to put the UK at the forefront of the global green industrial revolution and build better back from the pandemic, and I’m excited to hear Johnson Matthey plays a key role in this. ”