Anton Berlin of Nornickel: Nickel Demand for EV Batteries to Grow Significantly

At this year’s Cathodes event in Newport Beach, increased nickel content in lithium-ion batteries was a topic in many presentations.

To get more insight on what’s ahead for the base metal, the Investing News Network sat down with Anton Berlin, marketing director of Norilsk Nickel (Nornickel) (MCX:GMKN).

Speaking about the role of nickel in batteries and the demand forecast for the metal in the future, Berlin said he is expecting the need for nickel to increase.

“We are looking at very high growth numbers in the battery sector, but it is starting from a very low base. For the next few years we are looking at more than 20 percent per year growth,” he said.

Berlin also shared his thoughts on nickel prices and overall market performance.

“We didn’t expect a huge increase in nickel prices,” he said, explaining that the jump seen in 2017 seemed like an overreaction from the market “because fundamentally things have not really changed.”

Berlin thinks the market might split into battery and stainless steel categories and have different price mechanisms. “They are not truly overlapping and it is a possibility, we’ve also seen this with other commodities,” he added.

Finally, Berlin talked about the deal Nornickel signed with BASF (ETR:BAS) to supply the battery manufacturer with nickel and cobalt feedstock from Nornickel’s metal refinery.

Listen to the interview above for more insight from Berlin, including prices and deals, and what’s ahead for the nickel market. You can also click here to listen to our full Cathodes interviews playlist on YouTube.

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Securities Disclosure: I, Priscila Barrera, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in contributed article. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.