(Adds details, background)
DUNKIRK, France, May 12 (Reuters) - French President
Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that Chinese group XTC New Energy
Materials plans to set up a joint venture with
France's Orano in the battery sector in the northern French port
city of Dunkirk for an expected investment of 1.5 billion euros.
Macron made the announcement from Dunkirk, where he was
officially announcing a 5.2 billion euros ($5.7 billion)
investment by Taiwanese battery maker ProLogium in a new
gigafactory in the same city.
"We just signed, with a joint venture between XTC and Orano,
a second investment for the production of cathode material in
lithium batteries," Macron said, adding that the venture would
create 1,700 jobs.
Cathode materials, comprised of cobalt, nickel and
manganese, are the main component of lithium batteries.
"(The XTC/Orano JV) will allow us to secure the top end of
the value chain in lithium batteries production," Macron added.
The French president said ProLogium and the XTC/Orano joint
venture would create 5,000 new jobs overall in Dunkirk.
(Reporting by Dominique Vidalon and Elizabeth Pineau; Editing
by Leigh Thomas)
Messaging: dominique.vidalon.reuters.com@reuters.net))
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