Page 168 - CW E-Magazine (20-5-2025)

News from Abroad

GROWTH PLANS

Merck Animal Health announces $895-mn expansion

at US site

Merck Animal Health, a division of novel parasiticides and therapeutics,
US-based Merck & Co. is planning a the company said.
$895-mn expansion of its manufactur-
ing facility in De Soto, Kansas (US). “Our De Soto, Kansas manufac-
turing facility is strategically located
The expansion will occur on an exis- in the heart of the Animal Health Cor-
ting Merck-owned property that is the the manufacturing of Merck Animal ridor. This region is renowned for its
site of its biologics facility in De Soto. Health’s products and will complement concentration of animal health com-
It will include an $860-mn investment Merck Animal Health’s US and inter- panies, fostering an unparalleled eco-
in the site’s existing manufacturing national network of animal health pro- system for innovation, collaboration
facility and a further $35-mn invest- duct manufacturing plants. and industry leadership,” commented
ment in its R&D laboratories. Mr. Richard DeLuca, president, Merck
Site preparation and facility design Animal Health. Merck Animal Health
The 200,000-square-foot manufac- will start immediately, while commer- is partnering with the state of Kansas on
turing facility project will expand filling cial manufacturing is expected to begin expansion of the existing manufactur-
and freeze dryer capacity for large mole- in 2030. ing facility. The investment marks one
cule vaccines and biologic products for of the largest economic development
Merck Animal Health. As a Centre of The investment will continue to projects in Kansas’ recent history and
Excellence, it will play a pivotal role in drive Merck Animal Health’s R&D of the largest for Merck Animal Health.

DEMONSTRATION SET UP

Pure Lithium announces new partnership to scale

lithium metal anode production

Pure Lithium, a US-based, verti- lurgical systems, the company is deve- lithium metal anode technology was a
cally integrated lithium metal battery loping a fully integrated demonstration necessary first step to commercialising
technology company, is partnering with reactor capable of producing highly our lithium metal batteries. Without
Canada’s Kingston Process Metallurgy pure lithium metal anodes of varying this technology at scale, these batte-
(KPM) to scale, design, construct, and thicknesses. The reactor will demon- ries would never reach commerciali-
commission Pure Lithium’s proprietary strate the technical and economic via- sation due to the high cost and low
pilot-scale lithium metal anode produc- bility of Pure Lithium’s end-to-end pro- quality of lithium metal produced by
tion reactor. cess, encompassing selective lithium existing methods. The team at KPM
extraction, electrochemical plating and will play a critical role in scaling
Pure Lithium is advancing battery efficient materials recycling. our innovative lithium electroplating
technology with a lithium metal vana- technology into a fully operational
dium oxide battery enabled by a novel The project sets the foundation for pilot-scale reactor. Their hands-on
lithium metal electroplating process, future pilot plant and commercial de- approach and experience in scaling
Brine to Battery, that bypasses tradi- velopment, supporting Pure Lithium’s complex processes gives us confi-
tional lithium compound production. mission to sustainably bring lithium dence as we move toward pilot-scale
from Brine to Battery. production and continue building a
In collaboration with KPM, known truly next-generation lithium metal
for its expertise in designing and opti- Ms. Emilie Bodoin, Pure Lithium battery at commercially viable price
mising complex chemical and metal- founder and CEO, commented, “Our point.”

168 Chemical Weekly May 20, 2025

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