Vianode seeks partner for cooperation or acquisition
Norwegian battery materials specialist Vianode is seeking a partner for its next expansion phase. According to CEO Burkhard Straube, the company is open to various options, ranging from cooperation to a full acquisition.
Image: Vianode
Vianode is a Norwegian specialist in synthetic graphite and has been operating its first large-scale production facility, named ‘Via One’, in Herøya, Norway, since 2024. According to the company, this is “the world’s most sustainable synthetic anode graphite plant”. Vianode has been producing the material since 2021, initially using a pilot plant in Kristiansand. Since the end of 2025, Vianode has also been constructing a second plant in St. Thomas, in the Canadian province of Ontario. The facility is set to be located near Volkswagen’s PowerCo plant and is referred to by the Norwegians as ‘Via Two’. However, GM is considered the anchor customer there rather than Volkswagen.
As CEO Burkhard Straube recently told _Reuters_, Vianode is now reaching its limits and will need support in the future. The company is therefore looking for a partner who can contribute capital, industrial expertise, or broader strategic collaboration for the next phase of expansion. Straube told the news agency that Vianode is open to various options, ranging from a partnership to a full acquisition, and specified that the company has engaged JP Morgan to assist with the process.
According to _Reuters_, the Swedish private equity firm Altor has been Vianode’s sole funder since 2024. The previous investor, Norsk Hydro, withdrew as a shareholder at that time. The agency report now states that Vianode hopes to find a partner by the end of this year. The company is one of the few non-Asian players in the production of synthetic graphite. _Reuters_ adds that China controls approximately 95 per cent of the global supply of battery-grade graphite.
Straube is convinced that customers also have an interest in a strong supplier. Altor spokesperson Andreas Hamrin added: “It is an attractive case for the right partner, with Vianode having proven both its technological and commercial viability.”
Once fully ramped up, Vianode’s Norwegian plant is expected to produce around 2,000 tonnes of graphite battery material annually – enough for approximately 35,000 electric vehicles. However, in 2023, the company shifted its expansion focus to North America, where, at that time under US President Joe Biden, there were greater incentives and regulatory support. Production there is currently scheduled to begin in 2029 – significantly later than originally planned.
