Minister Lintilä: Battery materials production in Harjavalta a big leap for Finland’s battery cluster

BASF, the largest chemical producer in the world, has selected Harjavalta, Finland, as the location for its first battery materials production plant serving the European market.

“Our persistent efforts to develop a battery cluster in Finland are now bearing fruit. This major investment by BASF is a concrete example of the battery sector’s potential to bring success for Finland. We will continue our active efforts to make Finland the leading battery cluster country in Europe,” Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä commented on the announcement by BASF.

“The changes necessitated by climate change are a great opportunity for business and industry in Finland. The growing electric vehicle market means that there is enormous growth potential for Finland in the battery production value chain, both in terms of raw material processing and the development of batteries and related applications,” Minister Lintilä said.

With the BASF investment in Harjavalta, the Finnish metal industry will gain higher added value, and Finland will be better integrated with the international electric vehicle ecosystems.

The BASF investment will also have major importance for the European Commission’s initiative for a European Battery Alliance that aims to create a competitive manufacturing industry serving the European electric vehicle market.

“In Finland, we are prepared to accelerate the growth of the battery production value chain in Finland and promote related investments in terms of research and product development, operating conditions and funding,” says Minister Lintilä.

See also the Ministry’s press release on creating a battery cluster in Finland

Inquiries:

Jukka Ihanus, Special Adviser to the Minister of Economic Affairs, tel. +358 50 463 9929
Petri Peltonen, Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 50 62663