Japan Economy Poised for Q4 2025 Growth as Investment and Consumption Hold Firm 
Nvidia Confirms Major OpenAI Investment Amid AI Funding Race 
Toyota’s Surprise CEO Change Signals Strategic Shift Amid Global Auto Turmoil 
Gold and Silver Prices Slide as Dollar Strength and Easing Tensions Weigh on Metals 
Alphabet’s Massive AI Spending Surge Signals Confidence in Google’s Growth Engine 
Tencent Shares Slide After WeChat Restricts YuanBao AI Promotional Links 
Thailand Inflation Remains Negative for 10th Straight Month in January 
Prudential Financial Reports Higher Q4 Profit on Strong Underwriting and Investment Gains 
Instagram Outage Disrupts Thousands of U.S. Users 
SpaceX Pushes for Early Stock Index Inclusion Ahead of Potential Record-Breaking IPO 
Trump Backs Nexstar–Tegna Merger Amid Shifting U.S. Media Landscape 
Vietnam’s Trade Surplus With US Jumps as Exports Surge and China Imports Hit Record 
Anthropic Eyes $350 Billion Valuation as AI Funding and Share Sale Accelerate 
Japanese Pharmaceutical Stocks Slide as TrumpRx.gov Launch Sparks Market Concerns 
Fed Governor Lisa Cook Warns Inflation Risks Remain as Rates Stay Steady 
Missouri Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging Starbucks’ Diversity and Inclusion Policies 
Nasdaq Proposes Fast-Track Rule to Accelerate Index Inclusion for Major New Listings 
Ford Motor Co. is building a new cathode plant in Canada in cooperation with the government of Quebec, Ottawa. The automaker is investing through its consortium that includes EcoProBM and SK on.
The consortium of Ford Motor and South Korean firms announced on Thursday, Aug. 17, that they will put up a new plant for the production of electric vehicle battery materials. The construction of the facility costs C$1.2 billion or about $887 million, and it will soon rise in Becancour, Quebec.
As per Reuters, Ford said that the EV materials to be produced in the upcoming factory are high-quality Nickel Cobalt Manganese (NCM), which are commonly used for rechargeable batteries. These are designed to offer greater performance and improved EV range.
Ford Motor, SK On, and EcoProBM said they are investing in building a cathode facility that will provide materials that will ultimately be supplied to Ford’s future EV models. The target date for the start of production is within the first half of 2026, and by this time, the plant will already have the capacity to churn out up to 45,000 tonnes of Cathode Active Materials (CAM) per year.
The facility will allow Ford Motor to localize the processing of key battery raw materials in a region where it currently manufactures EVs. For its part, the local government of Quebec will also invest $644 million for the construction of the Michigan-based automaker’s plant in Bécancour.
“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,” Ford Motor Canada’s president and CEO, Bev Goodman, said in a press release. “We are excited for the opportunity for our first-ever investment in Québec with a new facility that will help shape the EV ecosystem there.”
Photo by: Ford Motor Media Center
