(MENAFN- Caribbean News Global) THOMAS, Ontario - The Ontario government has secured an investment of $3.2 billion from Vianode, a leading global manufacturer of synthetic graphite, to establish a new, state-of-the-art facility in St Thomas.

The investment marks Vianode's entrance into the North American market and is a major milestone in the government's plan to build the most competitive, resilient and self-reliant economy in the G7, helping to protect Ontario's economy and Ontario workers in the face of tariffs and economic uncertainty. Vianode's investment will create nearly 300 new, good-paying jobs in its initial phase, with 1,000 jobs expected once the facility is at full operational capacity, generating broad economic benefits across southwestern Ontario.

“Thurssday's announcement is a historic milestone for southwestern Ontario and a major win for workers, creating good-paying manufacturing jobs today and for generations to come,” said premier Doug Ford.“We're proud to welcome Vianode to St Thomas as we strengthen our province's competitive advantage in a critical industry and build the most competitive, resilient, self-reliant economy in the G7.”

Synthetic graphite is essential to EV batteries, nuclear reactors, semiconductors, aerospace and defence systems, steelmaking and other strategic industries. By onshoring production, Ontario is not only creating positions at the St Thomas facility but enabling tens of thousands of additional jobs across the supply chain, from mining and refining to battery manufacturing, research, transportation and advanced manufacturing. The government's investment will anchor a domestic ecosystem that strengthens Ontario's industrial capacity and long-term economic resilience.

As the first large-scale low-emission synthetic graphite facility in North America, this investment will also play a key role in displacing global reliance on China, which currently controls more than 80 percent of the global production of this critical component.

“With economic uncertainty undermining global supply chains, Ontario continues to stand as the stable and reliable economic partner that our allies are looking for,” said Vic Fedeli, minister of economic development, job creation and trade.“As demand for synthetic graphite ramps up at home and abroad, Vianode's investment will position the province as a leading supplier for strategic industries, ensuring that Ontario's economy and workers benefit for years to come.”

The St Thomas facility is being constructed in a multi-phased approach that will ultimately reach up to 150,000 tons of annual capacity - enough synthetic graphite to supply roughly two million EVs each year. To support Vianode's commitment and the generational benefits of the project to the province's manufacturing sector, the Ontario government is providing a loan of up to $670 million, subject to a definitive agreement to support the site.

“Thursday's marks an important step towards a resilient North American battery supply chain,” said Burkhard Straube, CEO of Vianode.“Ontario and the city of St Thomas have been strong partners from day one, and Via TWO will bring industrial-scale, low-emission graphite to market through a phased build-out that supports customers, communities and the clean-energy transition.”

With US tariffs impacting workers and businesses, the Ontario government is protecting the province by building the most resilient, self-reliant and competitive economy in the G7. Last year, Ontario attracted a historic $39 billion in investment from over 400 companies, creating nearly 25,000 good-paying jobs.

Quick facts

• Founded and headquartered in Norway, Vianode is a global leader in the production of high-performance synthetic graphite.
• Synthetic graphite is an essential component for defence systems, semiconductors, lithium-ion batteries, steel production and nuclear reactors.
• By choosing Ontario for their new manufacturing facility, Vianode will be strategically positioned to supply synthetic graphite to companies across North America and Europe.
• Accounting for over 800,000 workers across the province, the manufacturing sector is important to the province's prosperity.
• Since its inception, Invest Ontario has announced over $8.2 billion in investments, leading to the creation of more than 10,200 good-paying jobs.

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