According to www.thehindubusinessline.com, Himadri Speciality Chemical has commissioned India’s first commercial anode material production facility at Mahistikry, West Bengal — marking a foundational step in domestic lithium-ion battery materials manufacturing.
First-of-its-kind facility with strategic export timeline
The plant commenced operations on April 24, 2026, with an initial capacity of 200 MTPA (metric tonnes per annum). Himadri plans to begin exporting anode material to the US and Europe from Q3FY27, targeting 70 per cent of total production for overseas markets. The company highlighted its competitive positioning in light of elevated import duties facing Chinese suppliers in those regions.
Technology development and product scope
Himadri’s CEO, Anurag Choudhary, CMD & CEO, stated the company has invested heavily over 14 years to develop the anode material technology. He emphasized product quality and commercial readiness:
“We have been working on this anode material technology for the last 14 years. We have made huge investment for developing this product. And the quality of our product, which we are producing, is very high. We are the first company in India to commercialise anode material production for lithium-ion battery.” — Anurag Choudhary, CMD & CEO, Himadri Speciality Chemical
Choudhary further noted that Himadri now produces both anode and cathode materials, which together constitute around 65 per cent of the cost of a lithium-ion cell.
Capacity expansion and financial performance
The company intends to expand the anode material facility’s production capacity. This follows the recent commissioning of a new 70,000 MTPA speciality carbon black line at the same Mahistikry site, raising Himadri’s total carbon black capacity to 250,000 MTPA, of which 130,000 MTPA is dedicated to speciality carbon black. Financially, Himadri reported consolidated full-year EBITDA of ₹1006 crore for FY26 — a 19 per cent year-on-year growth — and revenue from operations of ₹1288 crore in Q4 FY26, up 14 per cent YoY.
Industry context for supply chain professionals
Anode materials — primarily graphite-based — are critical inputs for lithium-ion batteries used across electric vehicles (EVs), energy storage systems, and consumer electronics. Until now, India relied almost entirely on imports, chiefly from China, which dominates ~80% of global anode material production (per industry data from Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, 2025). Himadri’s entry aligns with India’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) battery manufacturing, launched in 2021 to reduce import dependence and build domestic battery ecosystem capabilities. Globally, similar vertical integration moves are underway: South Korea’s POSCO Holdings began anode material exports from its US plant in early 2025, while Australia’s Syrah Resources expanded its Vidarbha, India–linked anode project in late 2024. For supply chain professionals, this development signals both near-term sourcing diversification opportunities and longer-term recalibration of battery material logistics flows — particularly for US- and EU-bound shipments seeking tariff-advantaged origins under evolving trade frameworks like the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) and potential EU-India Free Trade Agreement negotiations.
Source: www.thehindubusinessline.com
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
