Evion Group NL (ASX:EVG, OTC:EVIGF) managing director David Round sits down with Jonathan Jackson in the Proactive studio to discuss a joint venture (JV) and supply agreement for high-quality large flake graphite with India-based Panthera Graphite Technologies (PGT). This material will be used in the JV’s expandable graphite processing plant. The medium-term agreement ensures a stable supply of graphite feedstock as the partners prepare to scale up production to meet growing demand.
The JV partners are also exploring options to enhance the plant's production capabilities, potentially doubling sales volume and revenue amid a potential graphite supply shortage.
Round expressed satisfaction with securing commercial terms that ensure a reliable supply of high-quality graphite concentrate. He highlighted the importance of this agreement, especially in light of the current ban on China-produced graphite, which has led to increased global pricing and supply shortages.
The JV has provided graphite samples to multinational buyers in Japan and the US and is finalising sales pricing agreements for the short and medium term. With China's historical dominance in graphite production disrupted, demand and prices for graphite are rising. UBS forecasts a six-fold increase in natural graphite demand over the next decade, predicting a deficit by 2025. Nicoya Research founder Jason Hamlin also anticipates a significant price rebound and long-term demand increase for natural graphite and active anode material.