On Monday 6 December, the Norwegian Minister of Finance Trygve Slagsvold Vedum visited Elkem’s plant at Fiskaa in Kristiansand in the southern part of Norway for Elkem’s industrial production of carbon solutions for the global market, as well as the Vianode pilot plant for advanced battery materials.
Helge Aasen, Elkem’s CEO, together with Elkem Fiskaa plant manager Odd Olsen and employee representative and member of the board Terje André Hansen, welcomed Minister Slagsvold Vedum with a presentation on Elkem’s global operations, the company’s strategy and climate roadmap. Elkem, a global leader in silicon-based advanced materials, aims to reduce its total fossil CO2 emissions in line with the ambitions of the Paris agreement while growing its supplies to the green transition.
“We are pleased by the new Norwegian government’s interest in developing existing and future green industry in Norway, as demonstrated by the ambitions of the government platform and highlighted in today’s visit by the Minister of Finance, Trygve Slagsvold Vedum,” says Aasen.
He adds: “The Norwegian process industry is a high-tech industry with good jobs and great potential for increased high value exports of products with increasingly lower emissions. Elkem aims to continue to using the entire country to build business, from Kristiansand in the south to Tana in the North, and we look forward to a continued close dialogue with the government.”
Elkem’s mission is to provide advanced material solutions shaping a better and more sustainable future. The company already uses 83% renewable electricity in its operations. Elkem has supplied materials to more than 1 million electrical vehicles (EVs) on the road today – about 15% of the world’s EVs – and counting.
In order to continue delivering on its growth ambitions from Norway, the company requires competitive framework conditions, including competitive renewable electricity, CO2 compensation and financial support in line with what is seen in other countries.
“Elkem’s history in Norway is based on competitive access to dependable and renewable hydropower, and this is a key building block for future investments here,” Aasen commented.
Elkem’s Kristiansand plant forms an important foundation for the business that Elkem is today. The plant is where the almost 100-year-old Söderberg electrode was invented. Elkem Carbon in Kristiansand is still one of the world’s largest producers of inputs to this technology, which is still being used by about 70% of the world’s smelting plants.
Research and development is also a key focus at Fiskaa, where Elkem has over 10 000 square meters of advanced pilot testing facilities, laboratories and workshops. This includes the Future Materials Norwegian Catapult Centre, a national test and development centre that offer test facilities, competence and a professional network for developing sustainable advanced materials and circular solutions for your products and processes. The catapult centre is a collaboration between Elkem, ReSiTec, Arendals Fossekompani and the University of Agder.
For more information
Odd-Geir Lyngstad
VP Finance & Investor Relations
Tel: +47 976 72 806
Email: odd-geir.lyngstad@elkem.com
Fredrik Norman
VP Corporate Communications & Public Affairs
Tel: +47 918 66 567
Email: fredrik.norman@elkem.com
About Elkem
Elkem is one of the world’s leading providers of advanced material solutions shaping a better and more sustainable future. The company develops silicones, silicon products and carbon solutions by combining natural raw materials, renewable energy and human ingenuity. Elkem helps its customers create and improve essential innovations like electric mobility, digital communications, health and personal care as well as smarter and more sustainable cities. With a strong track record since 1904, its global team of more than 6,800 people has a joint commitment to stakeholders: Delivering your potential. In 2020, Elkem was rated among the world’s top 5% on climate and achieved an operating income of NOK 24.7 billion. Elkem is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (ticker: ELK). www.elkem.com.
Source: Ciseon AB, Sweden.
