Caithness battery manufacturer AMTE Power reports 'excellent progress' at its AGM
Specialist battery cell manufacturer and developer AMTE Power has achieved excellent progress over the last 12 months and is looking ahead to another significant year, company chairman David Morgan told its AGM.
AMTE, which manufactures lithium-ion and sodium-ion battery cells for specialist markets at its Thurso factory,
is working with major names in the automotive industry to create the next generation of cell batteries and is in talks with government about expanding production to gigafactory levels.
Mr Morgan told the AGM: “I am pleased to report the company continues to make excellent progress in line with our planned pathway to production with our cells moving towards certification and high speed production rates whilst advancing our plans to build a gigafactory."
AMTE's Ultra Energy cell, which is aimed at the automotive and energy storage markets, and its Ultra High Power cell for the automotive and aerospace industries are expected to achieve UN38.3 certification in the next few months and have been transferred to the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) to scale up production to gigafactory speeds to demonstrate thedesigns are capable of mass manufacture, Mr Morgan continued.
"Once certified, and being manufactured at high production rates, these cells will be available for release to potential customers which in some cases will be for extensive trials through inclusion in product development programmes," he said.
"Target customers include BMW, Arrival, a number of other leading brands in performance and commercial vehicles, energy storage operators and the UK’s largest integrator of electric power trains."
Mr Morgan also revealed that progress towards the opening of its UK gigafactory, which is supported by the UK Government's Automotive Transformation Fund, with a site scheduled to be selected during 2022 from three potential locations. Another gigafactory being developed as a joint venture in Australia is on track to break ground by September 2022.
"We are pleased that progress is being achieved in line with our expectations, and we expect 2022 to be another significant year for the business,” Mr Morgan concluded.
