Graphite One Secures Key Engineering Contract and Advances Ohio Active Anode Materials Facility Toward 25,000 Tonnes of Synthetic Graphite Capacity
Rhea-AI Summary
Graphite One (OTCQX:GPHOF) advanced its Conneaut, Ohio Active Anode Materials facility into detailed execution. The company signed an engineering contract on June 16, 2026 and secured a rail- and port-connected site in May 2026.
The phased plan targets ~10,000 tpy AAM in Q4 2027 and 25,000 tpy synthetic graphite by Q4 2028, subject to permitting, financing, and other conditions. Environmental assessment and permitting are underway with completion aimed for Q1 2027.
Positive
- Engineering contract signed June 16, 2026 to optimize Ohio Facility systems
- Strategic Conneaut site secured with CN rail, Great Lakes access, high-capacity power
- Phase 1 targeting ~10,000 tpy AAM production by Q4 2027
- Planned expansion to 25,000 tpy synthetic graphite capacity by Q4 2028
- Ohio Facility expected to create 130–160 permanent jobs across both phases
- Graphite Creek Project advancing under federal FAST-41 expedited permitting program
Negative
- Ohio Facility development subject to lease finalization, financing, permitting, and approvals
- Environmental assessment and permitting not expected to complete until Q1 2027
News Market Reaction – GPHOF
In the Jun 22 session, GPHOF gained 0.88%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
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Together, these milestones move the project into detailed execution and support Graphite One's objective of establishing 25,000 tonnes per year of domestic synthetic graphite capacity by Q4 2028, positioning the Company as a potential cornerstone supplier to the rapidly growing North American battery materials market.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Executed an engineering contract with a leading anode production facility engineering firm to de-risk and optimize Ohio Facility manufacturing systems for commercial-scale production
- Secured prime
Conneaut, Ohio industrial site with direct CN rail access, Great Lakes shipping access, and existing high-capacity electrical service through an agreement with a subsidiary of CN Railway - Completed geotechnical drilling; environmental assessment and permitting underway with target completion in Q1 2027
- Phased development targeting initial ~10,000 tpy AAM finishing/blending operations in Q4 2027, expanding to 25,000 tpy synthetic graphite and graphitization output in Q4 2028
- North American battery graphite demand projected to grow 11x from ~56,000 tonnes in 2023 to over 620,000 tonnes by 2030 (S&P Global Mobility), underscoring the strategic urgency of domestic capacity
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF DOMESTIC GRAPHITE SUPPLY
Graphite is the largest component of a lithium-ion battery anode, representing approximately
Graphite One is pursuing a vertically integrated domestic supply chain designed to reduce foreign dependence and support the expansion of North American battery manufacturing. These steps are key to implementing the Company's strategy to develop the Graphite Creek deposit in
According to S&P Global Mobility, North American graphite demand for battery applications is projected to surge from approximately 56,000 tonnes in 2023 to more than 620,000 tonnes by 2030 – an eleven-fold increase. Graphite One's targeted 25,000 tonnes per year capacity represents a meaningful step toward addressing this critical supply gap with secure, high-quality domestic production.
KEY EXECUTION MILESTONES
In May 2026, Graphite One secured a strategically located industrial site in
The Company has completed geotechnical drilling at the
The 10,000 tpy Ohio Facility is expected to create 30 – 40 permanent high-quality manufacturing, technical, and operational jobs in
Engineering Contract Executed
On June 16, 2026, Graphite One executed an engineering contract with a leading anode production facility engineering firm to support detailed design and optimization of the Ohio Facility's manufacturing systems.
This engagement advances the project from planning into detailed engineering execution and is expected to support equipment integration, construction readiness, commissioning efficiency, and overall project risk reduction. The firm brings specialized expertise in complex, high-temperature industrial processes and integrated production line design – capabilities essential for ensuring all major production systems operate as a seamless, optimized manufacturing platform capable of producing consistent, specification-grade commercial-scale AAM. The work will focus on throughput optimization, energy efficiency, product quality, and design for future expandability.
DEFINED DEVELOPMENT PLAN TOWARD 25,000 TONNES PER YEAR OF SYNTHETIC GRAPHITE CAPACITY
Graphite One intends to develop the Ohio Facility through a phased approach designed to accelerate market entry while building substantial long-term production capacity. This strategy enables earlier customer qualification, initial revenue generation, and progressive de-risking of the larger capital investment required for full graphitization capabilities. The Company is actively engaged in discussions with
Construction and development activities for the Ohio Facility remain subject to lease finalization, project financing, permitting, power agreements, equipment procurement, regulatory approvals, and other customary development conditions.
Phase 1 – AAM Finishing and Blending Operations
- Target completion: Q4 2027
- Initial production capacity: approximately 10,000 tonnes per year
- Production of tailored AAM for energy storage, fast-charging applications, and high-performance electric vehicle batteries through finishing, coating, and blending operations
Phase 2 – Synthetic Graphite Expansion and Graphitization
- Target completion: Q4 2028
- Expansion to: 25,000 tonnes per year of synthetic graphite and graphitization output
- Installation of high-temperature graphitization systems, enabling significant increase in domestic production of high-performance battery anode materials
BUILDING A
Graphite One's strategy is designed to connect each stage of the domestic graphite value chain:
- Mining and concentration of natural graphite from the Company's Graphite Creek Project in
Alaska - Processing and manufacturing of both natural and synthetic AAM at the Ohio Facility, with capability for customized product blends tailored to customer specifications
- Potential future battery material recycling operations to further close the domestic loop
This vertically integrated approach is intended to reduce
ADDITIONAL BUSINESS MOMENTUM
Graphite One continues to advance multiple strategic initiatives across its business platform, including:
- Delivery of AAM samples to major electric vehicle manufacturers and battery companies for testing and qualification programs
- Ongoing commercial discussions regarding future supply and offtake opportunities with leading participants in the North American battery and EV supply chain
- Continued advancement of permitting activities at the Graphite Creek Project under the federal FAST-41 expedited permitting program. This federal designation highlights the project's importance to
U.S . critical minerals security and provides greater timeline certainty for synchronized development of upstream mining and downstream processing capacity
MANAGEMENT COMMENTARY
"Execution is what transforms vision into production capacity," said Anthony Huston, President and Chief Executive Officer of Graphite One.
"The execution of this engineering contract and the advancement of our
These milestones reinforce our objective of creating a secure, fully integrated
POSITIONED FOR LONG-TERM GROWTH
These developments will play a central role in Graphite One's strategy to establish a complete
Through its
About Graphite One Inc.
GRAPHITE ONE INC. continues to develop its Graphite One Project (the "Project"), with the goal of becoming an American producer of high-grade anode materials that is integrated with a domestic graphite resource. The Project is proposed as a vertically integrated enterprise to mine and process natural graphite and to manufacture artificial and natural graphite active anode materials primarily for the lithium‐ion electric vehicle battery and energy storage markets.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors
"Anthony Huston" (signed)
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, including the performance and outcome of the key engineering contract, the actual timing and construction of the Ohio Facility and the performance once built, the integration of the manufacturing equipment being procured, including detailed engineering, the phases and target completion being met, and events or developments that the Company intends, expects, plans, or proposes are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward‐looking information can be identified by the use of forward‐looking terminology such as "proposes", "expects", "is expected", "scheduled", "estimates", "projects", "plans", "is planning", "intends", "assumes", "believes", "indicates", "to be" or variations of such words and phrases that state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". The Company cautions that there is no certainty that the Company will secure project financing, that it will have the required equipment available to it and on a timely basis, or that it will receive all permits and regulatory approvals to progress the construction of the Ohio Facility. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continuity of mineralization, uncertainties related to the ability to obtain necessary permits, licenses and title and delays due to third party opposition, changes in government policies regarding mining and natural resource exploration and exploitation, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on this forward-looking information, which is given as of the date it is expressed in this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, except as required by applicable securities laws. For more information on the Company, investors should review the Company's continuous disclosure filings that are available at www.sedarplus.ca.
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SOURCE Graphite One Inc.