The facility, which will produce enough materials for 225,000 EV batteries per year, received nearly $480 million in government incentives.
Ford Motor Co. and two Korean firms, SK On and EcoProBM, have announced a partnership to build a $890 million cathode manufacturing facility in the town of Bécancour, Quebec in Canada.
The new facility will provide materials that ultimately supply batteries for Ford’s future electric vehicles.
Production is slated to begin in the first half of 2026, the site will have the capacity to produce up to 45,000 tonnes of cathode active materials (CAM) per year.
This new facility marks Ford’s first investment in Québec and is part of the automaker’s plan to localize key battery raw material processing in regions where it produces EVs.
“Ford has been serving customers in Canada for 119 years, longer than any other automaker, and we’re excited to invest in this new facility to create a vertically integrated, closed-loop battery manufacturing supply chain in North America designed to help make electric vehicles more accessible for millions of people over time,” said Bev Goodman, president and CEO for Ford of Canada. “We’re excited for the opportunity for our first-ever investment in Québec with a new facility that will help shape the EV ecosystem there.”
Construction has begun on the three million square-feet site and will include a six-floor building that will house approximately 345 new employees from engineers and sales and service professionals to co-op positions for students from local universities and colleges in Québec. The facility will also conduct research and development to increase battery safety and performance as well as improving productivity and minimizing the environmental footprint of its manufacturing process.
EcoPro CAM Canada LP—a division of Korean battery materials firm EcoProBM will manufacture Nickel Cobalt Manganese (NCM) for rechargeable batteries using the company’s core shell gradient (CSG) technology that will deliver greater performance levels and improved EV range compared to existing options.
South Korean EV battery manufacturer SK On will partner with Ford as investors once the deal is closed; the joint venture is subject to closing conditions and regulatory approvals. EcoProBM will oversee the day-to-day operations of the facility.
“Through the cathode JV, the three companies can have a stable supply of battery raw materials in North America,” said SK On Chief Commercial Officer Min-suk Sung. “We will continue to work with our partners to lead electrification of the global auto market.”
Through the joint venture, the Québec facility will become a key landmark for EcoProBM, which will invest to produce and supply enough cathode materials to support production of up to 225,000 electric vehicles annually.
“By expanding here in North America, EcoProBM looks forward to globalizing our growth in cathode materials, which has been a unique strength of our company,” said Jae-hwan Joo, EcoProBM CEO. “We also are prepared to contribute to the community in Canada and Québec and contribute to the development of the local economy, including by hiring locally.”
Support from both the federal and provincial governments was vital to securing this joint investment for Canada and Québec. The funding breakdown is as follows: the Government of Canada is providing a conditional contribution of about $240 million through its Strategic Innovation Fund, and the Government of Quebec is providing a partially forgivable $240 million loan through Investissement Québec.