SNC-Lavalin signs Canadian battery plant, strengthening country’s Electric Vehicle manufacturing capability

17th August 2023

SNC-Lavalin, a fully integrated professional services and project management company with offices around the world, has been awarded an initial works contract by EcoProBM, a global leader specializing in cathode materials, to design and build one of Canada’s largest Cathode Active Material plants in Bécancour, Québec. The initial works contract is worth approximately $141 million and represents SNC-Lavalin’s first major mandate in the electric vehicle battery market in Canada.

“With a unique endowment of critical minerals, an established manufacturing and industrial base, and a largely decarbonized and expanding power grid, Canada has an opportunity to establish an end-to-end supply chain that can support growing domestic and international EV demand,” commented Ian L. Edwards, President and Chief Executive Officer, SNC-Lavalin. “SNC-Lavalin is strongly positioned to support governments and manufacturers and deliver on the diverse pipeline of opportunities arising from the EV revolution, both in Canada and around the world, with our unique end-to-end capabilities that span across industries like mining, industrial & manufacturing, and clean power, all of which support the battery and EV markets.”

SNC-Lavalin’s Engineering Services groups will provide EcoProBM with initial concept design, basic design, and project management and delivery related to the establishment of the plant.

Cathode Active Material & EcoProBM’s Plant

For electric vehicles, CAM is a key battery component. It represents about 40 percent of the cost of a battery cell.

“EcoProBM’s team has been working with SNC-Lavalin for over 15 months on previous contracts in a fully collaborative approach. SNC-Lavalin’s project team has demonstrated their know-how, vision and ability to respond & adjust to the requirements of fast-moving project objectives. Our teams collaborated on developing all technical and planning needs for a fast-track design-build full-delivery project. We made an excellent choice in selecting SNC-Lavalin as a preferred partner for our first CAM project in North America, fully entrusting them to deliver the project to our full expectations,” said Mr. Sang-Young OH, Managing Director of Global Strategy & Planning at EcoProBM.

EcoProBM, the global top high nickel cathode active material maker, has formed a joint venture with Ford Motor Co. and the world’s leading cell maker SK On Co., to establish the $1.3 billion dollar CAM plant in the Bécancour Industrial Park, located between Quebec City and Montreal. Canada represents EcoProBM’s second overseas factory. Production of the three lines is expected to begin in April 2026. This plant will have a production capacity of 45,000 tonnes per year.

“EcoProBM has selected us to carry out this initial work because of our demonstrated expertise across numerous disciplines, unique end-to-end service offering, and solid supply chain, all of which we’ve demonstrated via early engagement in this ambitious project,” said Bob Alger, President, Major Projects, SNC-Lavalin. “Via a collaborative contracting agreement, we look forward to helping EcoProBM realize its vision for the future of Canadian automotive manufacturing, and demonstrating that SNC-Lavalin is the partner of choice in establishing battery manufacturing plants and other EV-related facilities.”

About SNC-Lavalin

Founded in 1911, SNC-Lavalin is a fully integrated professional service and project management company with offices around the world dedicated to engineering a better future for our planet and its people. They create sustainable solutions that connect people, technology and data to design, deliver and operate the most complex projects. They deploy global capabilities locally to our clients and deliver unique end-to-end services across the whole life cycle of an asset including consulting, advisory & environmental services, intelligent networks & cybersecurity, design & engineering, procurement, project & construction management, operations & maintenance, decommissioning and capital – and delivered to clients in key strategic sectors such as Engineering Services, Nuclear, Operations & Maintenance and Capital.

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