Published on 05.04.2024 at 10.02

Terrafame to bring its battery chemicals plant to a halt due to the national strikes in Finland

Terrafame has decided to bring the company’s battery chemicals plant to a halt for approximately four weeks. The shutdown is a result of the industrial actions in Finland that have continued for several weeks and are affecting the logistics chain. Due to the strikes, Terrafame has not been able to execute the export deliveries of the products of its battery chemicals plant, which has forced Terrafame to store the products in its industrial area. The possibilities for storing said products in the industrial area are limited due to, for example, restricted storage capacity and challenges in the availability of product containers.
 

During the shutdown, Terrafame will carry out early maintenance work at the plant. In addition, some of the plant personnel will be working on other assignments at Terrafame. Because of the production shutdown, Terrafame has decided to suspend the payment of wages to the employees who will have no work during the shutdown caused by the strikes. A total of approximately 140 employees work at the plant, and the suspension of wage payment is estimated to affect 50–60 employees.
 

“So far, Terrafame has managed to continue its battery chemicals production despite the national strikes in Finland, even though the industrial conflict has caused challenges and uncertainties in maintaining production. Terrafame’s battery chemicals production serves the emerging electric mobility market in Europe in particular, and it is unfortunate that the company’s delivery reliability is suffering due to the strikes. Regrettably, our personnel is also affected by the halt in the production of the battery chemicals plant implemented due to the strikes,” says Seppo Voutilainen, CEO of Terrafame.
 

The shutdown of the battery chemicals plant will not affect Terrafame’s metal intermediates production.
 

Terrafame announced today the result of the company’s change negotiations that were conducted as part of the profitability programme initiated in February 2024.
 

For further information, please contact:

Seppo Voutilainen, CEO, tel. +358 20 7130 800, seppo.voutilainen[a]terrafame.fi

Terrafame enhances low-carbon mobility by delivering responsibly produced battery chemicals to the global battery industry. One of the world’s largest production lines for chemicals used in electric vehicle batteries is located on Terrafame’s industrial site. The plant is capable of producing nickel sulphate for around 1 million EVs per year. The carbon footprint of the nickel sulphate produced by Terrafame is among the smallest in the industry.

Terrafame’s integrated, unique and energy-efficient production process from the mine to battery chemicals is located on a single industrial site. It provides customers with a transparent, traceable and truly European battery chemical supply chain.

Terrafame Ltd was founded in 2015. Its net sales in 2023 were EUR 560.9 million. Around 1,900 people work on its industrial site, slightly over half of whom are employees of partner companies.