Overlooking the Gulf of Bothnia, Umicore operates a highly automated hydrometallurgical processing facility at Kokkola’s Industrial Park. It is the largest cobalt refining plant outside China and a big European precursor plant. It is part of the Umicore Group since 2019.
The plant’s expertise is based on extensive R&D efforts and long experience in the refining, purification and processing of cobalt into high purity chemicals. The cathode precursors are transformed into active cathode materials in Umicore’s cathode production facilities and end up in Li-ion batteries of portable electronics and electric vehicles.
Similar to all other plants at Umicore, safety and respect for the environment are a top priority as well as the ethical sourcing of its raw materials, such as cobalt.
The Umicore Group has a long standing expertise in metal treatment of more than 200 years. The plant in Kokkola fits its strategic growth path and its ambition to contribute to the accelerating transition to cleaner mobility in Europe and the rest of the world.