What BG Materials does

BG Materials (BGM) is a privately held, Joplin, Missouri-headquartered specialty materials supplier founded in 2019 as an affiliate of ZAF Energy Systems. The company develops and supplies low-cost, low-carbon-footprint (LCF) battery-grade materials — including LCF Zinc Oxide, LCF Nickel Hydroxide, Conflict-Free Cobalt, LCF Calcium Zincate, and (since 2023) Nickel sulfate and Cobalt sulfate — to battery and advanced electronics manufacturers. Its core technology is a proprietary adaptation of the Caron Process applied to laterite ores, which represent roughly 70% of the world's land-based nickel resources but only about 40% of current production. BGM claims this approach enables cost reductions of approximately 60% on Nickel Hydroxide and 50% on Zinc Oxide while retaining battery-grade purity, and the company is developing smelter-free recycling of Nickel Zinc batteries as a future capability.

The company's go-to-market is enterprise B2B direct sales, with primary demand from battery manufacturers targeting Nickel Zinc, Zinc-Air, and lithium battery chemistries. Customer engagement is driven by executive networking (notably via the International Zinc Association) and a website inquiry channel promising two-business-day response. The bulk of identified demand is channeled through its affiliate ZAF Energy Systems, which is simultaneously the corporate parent, a strategic co-development partner, and BGM's primary named customer; CEO Craig Wilkins serves as ZAF's CFO and CSO Dave Wilkins chairs ZAF's board, institutionalizing the relationship. Operations are supported by offices in Canada and the Philippines, the latter focused on nickel laterite resource management under VP Paul Azarcon.

The executive team is staffed heavily for a company of 11-50 employees, including former EaglePicher Technologies President Randy Moore (EVP), a CTO with 25 patents and lead authorship of the Ni-Zn chapter in Linden's Handbook of Batteries, and metallurgical and geological specialists. BGM has disclosed only one funding event — $300,000 in August 2020 — and no revenue figures, suggesting the business is in early commercialization with revenue tightly coupled to ZAF's Nickel Zinc battery ramp and to its ability to qualify materials with additional battery customers.

Name

BG Materials

Legal name

BG Materials

Website

https://bgmaterials.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

BG Materials is a Joplin, Missouri-based specialty materials supplier founded in 2019 that produces low-cost, low-carbon-footprint battery-grade nickel, cobalt, and zinc compounds from laterite ores using a proprietary modified Caron Process, serving battery and advanced electronics manufacturers as an affiliate of ZAF Energy Systems.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Joplin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Battery Materials Sales: Sales of specialty battery materials including Nickel Hydroxide, Cobalt, Zinc Oxide, Calcium Zincate, Nickel sulfate, and Cobalt sulfate to battery manufacturers. Materials sold directly to support battery and advanced electronics industry production.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

BG Materials (BGM) is a specialty materials supplier that produces low-cost, low-carbon-footprint (LCF) battery-grade chemicals using a modified Caron Process applied to laterite ores. Its core products include LCF Zinc Oxide, LCF Nickel Hydroxide, Conflict-Free Cobalt, and LCF Calcium Zincate, with extensions into Nickel Sulfate and Cobalt Sulfate for the lithium battery sector. The company sells these materials directly to battery and advanced electronics manufacturers, including its affiliate ZAF Energy Systems.

Product overview

BG Materials (BGM) is a specialty materials supplier to the battery and advanced electronics industry that has developed proprietary processes to produce low-cost battery materials. The core product portfolio consists of four main offerings: LCF Zinc Oxide, LCF Nickel Hydroxide, Conflict-Free Cobalt, and LCF Calcium Zincate—all targeting the battery industry with an emphasis on reducing carbon outputs. The company has expanded to include Nickel Sulfate and Cobalt Sulfate to support the growing lithium battery sector. BGM operates as an affiliate of ZAF Energy Systems, initially providing materials to support Nickel Zinc battery manufacturing through vertical integration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LCF Zinc Oxide Battery-grade zinc oxide produced from selectively chosen oxidic ores via a modified Caron Process, providing a low-cost alternative for the rubber, ceramics, chemical, agriculture, and paint industries as well as zinc-based battery chemistries.
• LCF Nickel Hydroxide Low-carbon-footprint nickel hydroxide produced using processes that reduce environmental impact in mining, transportation, smelting and refining of traditional nickel, designed for battery chemistry applications.
• Conflict-Free Cobalt Ethically sourced cobalt for high-performance battery chemistries, obtained through environmentally and socially responsible methods in compliance with ESG initiatives.
• LCF Calcium Zincate Battery-grade calcium zincate (CaZn2(OH)6·2H2O) used as active material in the negative electrode of zinc-based battery chemistries such as Nickel-Zinc and Zinc-Air, synthesized through a proprietary process producing clean, uniform particles with low zinc solubility.
• Nickel Sulfate Sulfate compound sold to support the lithium battery sector, offered as part of BGM's expanded product portfolio.
• Cobalt Sulfate Sulfate compound sold to support the lithium battery sector, offered as part of BGM's expanded product portfolio.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60% reduction in Nickel Hydroxide cost while retaining required purity
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ZAF Energy SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate company developing Nickel Zinc battery technology. BGM initially targeted chemistries to support scaled manufacturing of ZAF's battery technology. Vertical integration strategy minimizes commodity price fluctuations and provides ZAF's licensee partners quality-controlled, low-cost supply of key materials. CEO Craig Wilkins also serves as CFO of ZAF Energy Systems.
• SGSminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWorld's leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company with over 94,000 employees and network of more than 2,600 offices and laboratories. Provides mining-related testing and certification services.
• Prado & AssociatescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerChemical and metallurgical consulting engineers with particular expertise in the Caron Process using ammonium solutions for extraction and recovery of non-ferrous metals. Expertise in uranium extraction using solvent extraction and ion exchange technologies. Engineers are members of The Metals Society (TMS) and American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AICh).
• Florida Polytechnic UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNation's leading STEM institution located in Lakeland, Florida's High-Tech Corridor. Provides cutting-edge degree programs for technology sectors including potential research collaboration in battery technology.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Nouveau Monde Graphite: Canadian battery materials developer producing anode-grade graphite with ESG positioning aligned to North American OEMs. Comparable as a smaller, ESG-focused specialty battery materials supplier targeting the same OEM customer base prioritizing low-carbon inputs.
• American Battery Technology Company: US-based battery materials and battery recycling company developing primary lithium and nickel/cobalt resources plus secondary materials from end-of-life batteries. Comparable on the convergence of low-carbon primary materials supply and battery recycling, with similar US-focused positioning.

Direct peers

• Targray Technology International: Canadian-headquartered specialty materials supplier distributing battery-grade raw materials (cathode precursors, anode materials, electrolytes) to cell manufacturers. Comparable as a mid-sized, focused battery materials supplier targeting similar North American and global customers with specialty chemicals.
• Umicore: Belgian materials technology company with a major battery materials business producing cathode active materials and precursors (nickel/cobalt/manganese). Comparable as a battery materials supplier serving European and global cell manufacturers with sustainability-focused positioning.
• Eramet: French mining and metallurgical group with major nickel laterite operations in New Caledonia and Indonesia, producing ferronickel and nickel sulfate for battery applications. Directly comparable as a laterite-focused nickel chemicals producer serving the battery supply chain.
• POSCO Future M: Korean producer of cathode active materials and precursors for lithium-ion batteries, including high-nickel chemistries. Comparable on nickel/cobalt chemicals supply into the battery value chain and on supplying major Asian cell OEMs.
• Sumitomo Metal Mining: Japanese diversified miner producing battery-grade nickel and cobalt chemicals, including nickel sulfate from laterite and sulfide feedstocks. Comparable on product portfolio (Ni sulfate, Co sulfate, Ni hydroxide) and end-market focus on lithium-ion and alkaline battery manufacturers.
• Sherritt International: Canadian nickel and cobalt producer using laterite ore hydrometallurgy, including long-standing Caron Process expertise. BGM's metallurgist Nicolas Molina was previously lead process engineer at Sherritt. Most directly comparable on feedstock, process family, and customer base for battery-grade nickel/cobalt chemicals.

Broad incumbents

• Glencore: World's largest commodity trader and a major nickel and cobalt producer (Murrin Murrin in Australia, integrated operations in DRC). Comparable on nickel and cobalt chemicals supply to batteries but operates at commodity scale across multiple metals, not as a battery-focused specialty supplier.
• BASF (Battery Materials): Global chemical giant with a Battery Materials division producing cathode active materials and precursors. Comparable on product category and customer base (global cell OEMs), but as part of a much larger specialty chemicals portfolio rather than a focused battery materials pure-play.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bgm-europe-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BG Materials