Timmins — Electra Battery Materials said it's undergoing a rebranding. It's no longer known as First Cobalt.
"That really is the result of direct feedback we’re getting from the auto supply chain that says look, cobalt’s good but we need you to do a little bit more," said Trent Mell, chief executive officer for Electra Battery Materials.
Now, the company said it’s in talks to source out additional materials such as nickel and manganese.
While there has been some work at the facility bordering Temiskaming Shores and Cobalt, Mell said there is still much more to do.
Last December, the company received ten million dollars in government funding and Mell said since then, an additional seventy million dollars has been raised.
He added, they're investing about a million dollars a week into the project and plan to begin production a year from now.
“Perhaps the biggest piece of news that people might look forward to is who we’re selling to so we’re in discussions with a lot of big companies such as battery makers and auto makers, and I think once we announce one or two of these partnerships I think that will capture the imagination of people," said Mell.
Temiskaming Shores Mayor Carmen Kidd said he supports the company's efforts and anticipates the creation of about 40 full-time jobs at the facility that will also include a recycling plant.
And, Cobalt Mayor George Othmer said he drove out to the site recently to take a look.
“I see that the lights are on and there’s some construction equipment in the yard so there’s progress being made. It looks like it’s moving forward.”
Mell said he is pleased with the way the project is progressing and he's especially impressed with the pool of skilled workers the company has to draw from to get the work done.
