Cengiz Holding Doubles Cobalt Production

Cengiz Holding, one of Turkey's largest industrial companies, has doubled cobalt production capacity at its ICoNiChem facility in the United Kingdom, raising output to 1,800 tonnes. Cobalt, widely used in batteries, cells and catalysts as well as in key 21st-century sectors including technology, petrochemicals, electric vehicles and aerospace, is regarded as one of the most important elements in high-value industrial products. Despite all uncertainties in the global economy, Cengiz Holding has continued its investments, doubling cobalt production at its ICoNiChem facility in Widnes, United Kingdom. ICoNiChem, recognised as the 'element of the century', has increased its capacity to separate cobalt from nickel, sodium and magnesium from 900 tonnes to 1,800 tonnes, and has begun processing products from the Mardin Mazıdağı Metal Recovery and Integrated Fertiliser Facility. With recent investments, ICoNiChem has joined the world's select facilities capable of producing specialty cobalt salts for technology-intensive sectors, and can produce cobalt at very high purity levels in line with customer demand. The facility exports from here to different regions of the world, producing high-value products in fields such as technology, petrochemicals, automotive, aerospace and ceramics.

ICoNiChem General Manager Emre Kayışoğlu, noting that they rank among the world's leading companies in mining technologies, continued:

"Cobalt has gained major importance worldwide, especially with the technology era we are in. Looking historically, cobalt was used mainly in the paint industry in the past, but today it is indispensable in batteries, cells, catalysts and, above all, the most technology-intensive sectors. As a company producing 2 percent of global output, we are reinforcing our leading role in the world economy through new investments and continuously developing our technological infrastructure." [caption id="attachment_144658" align="aligncenter"] ICoNiChem General Manager Emre Kayışoğlu[/caption]

A major source of pride for Turkish industry

"At the facility, we replaced a steam boiler that had been in use for approximately 30 years, undertaking a very important improvement initiative in operational and safety terms. Additionally, with the latest technology we have started using in our laboratories, we can now measure the metallic purity of our final products in the best and most accurate way; we can bring cobalt to 99.99 percent purity. All these technological advances provide us with a significant competitive advantage in global markets. Through these investments, in the coming period we will expand into very different markets, increasing the number of countries we export to and our market share. While processing raw materials sourced from different locations in the United Kingdom, we also transform cobalt from our facility in Mardin into high-value products and present them to world markets. This is a source of great pride not only for us but for Turkish industry as well."