Kemira Starts Iron Phosphate Pilot Plant in Sweden

Kemira has commenced pilot-scale production of iron phosphate at its Helsingborg facility in Sweden, marking a significant step in the company’s expansion into battery materials. The initiative is designed to strengthen the Western battery materials supply chain while supporting the development of a more resilient and sustainable ecosystem for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.

Iron phosphate is a key precursor used to manufacture LFP cathode active materials. LFP batteries have gained significant traction across electric vehicles, energy storage systems and various industrial applications because of their strong safety profile, long cycle life and competitive cost compared with other battery chemistries. Rising global adoption of LFP technology is expected to increase demand for reliable supplies of its critical precursor materials.

Kemira’s new pilot plant is intended to bridge the gap between laboratory research and potential commercial-scale manufacturing. The facility will allow the company to produce larger quantities of iron phosphate for customer trials, product qualification and further process development. The pilot operation will also provide valuable technical and commercial insights required to assess the feasibility of a future full-scale production facility.

According to Peter Ersman, EVP, New Ventures & Services at Kemira, the Helsingborg project represents an important milestone in the company’s battery materials strategy. With the facility becoming operational, Kemira aims to establish itself among the early iron phosphate producers in Europe focused on supplying Western battery markets.

The company believes that increasing demand for LFP batteries highlights the need for more localized and diversified supply chains. Establishing regional iron phosphate production could reduce reliance on distant suppliers and improve supply security for European battery manufacturers and precursor producers.

Kemira plans to leverage its expertise in inorganic chemistry, iron-based chemical systems, industrial processing and production scale-up to advance the project. The company considers iron phosphate a natural extension of its existing technical capabilities.

Following the launch of pilot operations, Kemira will prioritize customer qualification, product validation and optimization of its manufacturing process. The results of these activities, along with developments in market demand, will determine whether the company proceeds with investments in commercial-scale production.

The project therefore represents an important development for Europe's emerging battery materials industry. Successful qualification and future commercialization could provide Western battery manufacturers with a more regional source of iron phosphate and support the broader expansion of LFP battery production.

Chemical Product Price Impact

Kemira’s iron phosphate pilot plant is likely to have a positive long-term impact on the LFP battery materials market by creating a potential European supply source and reducing dependence on imports. In the near term, the pilot-scale output is unlikely to materially alter global iron phosphate availability or pricing. However, successful customer qualification and eventual commercial-scale production could increase regional supply, improve supply-chain resilience and moderate price volatility for iron phosphate and related LFP precursors. For chemical commodities tracked by ChemAnalyst, the move could create mild downward pressure on regional iron phosphate prices over the longer term, while supporting demand for phosphoric acid, phosphate intermediates and iron-based chemicals.