Umicore cathode materials plant in Nysa
The Umicore plant in Nysa (Radzikowice, Opolskie Voivodeship) produces cathode active materials (CAM) for lithium-ion cells for electric vehicles. Construction began in 2019, production started in July 2022, and the official inauguration took place on 21 September 2022. Umicore presents the facility as Europe's first cathode materials gigafactory, powered by energy from a nearby onshore wind farm. Target capacity was to reach 20 GWh by the end of 2023 and 40 GWh in 2024, with potential of over 200 GWh in the second half of the decade.
How it went
Assessment: provisional. Signals only where documented.
Timeline
Slip: +18 mo. vs. the original date
- Announced 2018
- Construction start 2019
- Original date 2020
- Delivery 2022
Change history
- Jul 2022 stage: operational
- 2019 stage: construction
Significance
Europe's first gigafactory-scale cathode materials plant, part of building a European battery value chain and reducing dependence on Asian suppliers. The plant supplies CAM to cell and vehicle manufacturers in Europe and creates industrial infrastructure and jobs in the Nysa region (approx. 240 people at the time of opening, with plans to grow to approx. 400). Its growth depends on the pace of demand for electric vehicles in Europe.
Sources 8 · 4 archived
Every fact on this card comes from the sources below. Next to each source — which fields it supports.
- Umicore 21 Sep 2022StatusStageConstruction startDeliveryInvestor
Status „Umicore today inaugurates its carbon neutral production facility for cathode active materials for electric vehicles in Nysa, Poland."
Stage „Construction of the plant began in 2019 and production started in July this year."
- electrive.com 21 Sep 2022Status
Delivery „Production has been running since July, but the factory in Nysa has only just been officially opened."
- Umicore Poland
locations[0].voivodeship „Radzikowice 1c, 48-300 Nysa, Poland"
- World Construction Network 16 Jun 2020Investor
- Umicore 27 Mar 2025OutcomeScope
Scope „Umicore has dramatically reduced Battery Cathode Materials capex... will limit total capex in this division to less than EUR 500 million during this period, down from earlier 200 GWh ambitions."
- Umicore 12 Jun 2024OutcomeUtilisation
Utilisation „Short- and medium-term growth projections for the electric vehicles market have been scaled back substantially, significantly affecting Umicore's Battery Materials business."
Losses „an impairment exercise has been performed, leading to a EUR 1.60 billion reduction in the Battery Materials' capital employed... mainly in Asia."
- Umicore 1 Jun 2018OutcomeScheduleAnnouncedOriginal date
Schedule „due to start deliveries in late 2020"
Announced „Umicore has now selected a site in Nysa, Poland, for this investment."
Original date „The first phase of this investment is included in the € 660 million programme announced earlier this year and is due to start deliveries in late 2020."
- Umicore Nov 2024OutcomeUtilisation
Utilisation „PowerCo´s CAM demand for the Salzgitter cell gigafactory is secured from the existing production capacity of Umicore in Nysa in time for its start of production in 2025."