Construction of the ÉcoPro-Ford cathode plant in Bécancour restarts after more than a month of pause.
“We are ready to resume construction of our cathode plant in Bécancour,” confirmed in writing the National firm, responsible for press relations for the company responsible for the construction site, EcoPro BM. “The mobilization of workers and equipment is already underway, and we expect that activities on the site will resume by the end of September.”
The construction site was interrupted twice this summer. The last stoppage was on August 5. The Korean company justified this pause at the time because of “technical problems requiring a redesign.” Due to the evolution of the battery market, “fluctuations in demand for electric vehicles” and “battery preferences” have prompted management to reevaluate their manufacturing strategy “to ensure the profitability and long-term sustainability of our operations in Quebec.”
Despite all these pitfalls, the project is moving forward. “Our goal is to complete our Bécancour plant as quickly as possible, and we are confident in the promise of the electric vehicle industry as a sector of the future,” insist press relations.
In August of last year, Ford announced that it would invest 1.2 billion Canadian dollars to build this large plant in Bécancour. Production is expected to begin in 2026 and produce up to 45,000 tons of active cathode materials per year. This would allow it to equip up to 225,000 electric vehicles each year. The Bécancour plant is expected to be 6 stories high and cover 280,000 square meters.
Ford’s first investment in Quebec, this factory is one of 13 large-scale projects authorized by Quebec to supply new factories in the energy transition sector.
This project is being carried out jointly by Ford, the Korean battery manufacturer SK On and the manufacturer EcoPro BM.
This story is supported by the Local Journalism Initiative, funded by the Government of Canada.
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