Sicona Battery Technologies, an Australian developer of next-generation battery materials for lithium-ion batteries, announced it will invest $10.3 million to establish its first U.S. facility and headquarters in New Orleans East. The development follows its acquisition of local battery materials company Advano.
The company expects the project to create 32 jobs, while Louisiana Economic Development (LED) estimates it will result in an additional 52 indirect jobs. Operations are scheduled to begin in mid-September.
“This acquisition is a major strategic step in Sicona’s transition from an Australian battery materials company into a global lithium-silicon battery platform with a permanent operating base in the United States,” Sicona Battery Technologies Founder and CEO Christiaan Jordaan said. “Advano and the New Orleans Regional Business Park have built an important foundation and we intend to build on that work as we grow our U.S. operations. We are proud to become part of the Louisiana business community, and we see New Orleans as the right place to build a long-term advanced-manufacturing presence.”
Sicona’s facility at the New Orleans Regional Business Park (NORBP) will provide a domestic manufacturing base to support existing U.S. customers and accelerate production of silicon-carbon anode materials for next-generation lithium-ion batteries. The company plans to install its SiCx silicon-carbon anode production process and expand the operation into a “Super Pilot” facility capable of producing enough material for more than 3 million battery cells. The materials can support a range of applications, including AI data center battery backup systems, robotics, power tools, autonomous systems, drones, electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft and defense.
Advano previously developed advanced silicon-based battery materials in New Orleans designed to improve the energy density and performance of lithium-ion batteries, with research and administrative functions continuing to operate from the LSU New Orleans Research and Technology Park. The acquisition gives Sicona its first commercial foothold in the U.S., pairing its battery materials technology with Advano’s local expertise and positioning the combined company to manufacture and ship from New Orleans East rather than overseas.
“Sicona’s decision to establish its first U.S. facility and headquarters in New Orleans East is another sign of the momentum we are building,” New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno said. “This is one of a couple of major investments we’ll be announcing this month in the East, bringing new investment, jobs and opportunity to an area with tremendous potential.”
The relationship between Sicona and the region traces back to a 2025 business mission to Australia, where officials from LED, Greater New Orleans, Inc., World Trade Center New Orleans and other local partners met with Sicona and other companies to highlight the international connectivity Louisiana provides companies seeking entry into the U.S. market. The mission is part of a broader effort to identify and build business relationships in key international markets, including Australia, Japan and Western Europe.
To secure the project in New Orleans, the state of Louisiana offered Sicona a competitive incentives package that includes the comprehensive workforce development solutions of LED FastStart. The company is expected to participate in the state’s Industrial Tax Exemption and High Impact Jobs programs.
