I only follow the news (don't hold) re what's happening with the overseas graphite companies, and post info here for those who maybe interested in their overseas competitors.
Alabama are certainly flogging the Made in the USA ticket, but then why not - especially with Trump and his America First policy. Looks like they are now registered to pursue US federal government funding, according to the latest PR........
February 08, 2017 10:46 ET Alabama Graphite Corp. Receives Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code Assigned by the US Department of Defense's (DoD's) Defense Logistics Agency (DLA)
Registered to do Business with the United States Federal Government and Defense Agencies
The Energy Graphite™ Company
Sourced and Manufactured in the United States of America
TORONTO, CANADA--(Marketwired - Feb. 8, 2017) -Alabama Graphite Corp.("AGC" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:CSPG)(OTCQX:CSPGF)(FRANKFURT:1AG) is pleased to announce that the Company's 100% wholly owned subsidiary - Alabama Graphite Company, Inc. ("AGC USA."), a corporation registered in the state of Alabama, USA - is now registered to pursue United States federal government funding to advance its research and development, and technology commercialization efforts, as well as to conduct business directly with the US federal government and its various agencies, including the US Department of Defense ("DoD") and the US Department of Energy ("DoE").
Due to developing relationships between AGC and AGC USA with both DoD- and DoE-related entities, including the DoE's Oak Ridge National Laboratory ("ORNL") of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA, ORNL requested that AGC USA become registered to do business with the US government and its associated agencies. Accordingly, AGC USA has been assigned a Commercial and Government Entity ("CAGE") code, which is an identification number that is assigned by the DoD's Defense Logistics Agency ("DLA") and used extensively within and by the US federal government. Additionally, AGC USA has also been issued a Data Universal Number System ("DUNS") number, a prerequisite for obtaining US federal funding, including government grants. AGC USA intends to aggressively pursue all potential US government granting and funding opportunities as both a Principal Investigator ("PI") and a Co-Principal Investigator ("Co-PI"), along with other strategic business partners of AGC USA, in conjunction with ORNL and other DoE- and DoD-related entities.
Additionally, the DLA informed AGC that the DoD would prefer to use a US-sourced-and-manufactured vendor like AGC USA as the primary vendor for all US DoD lithium-ion ("Li-ion") battery projects, as a matter of US national security. Although AGC must first complete a positive Feasibility Study, secure the required financing and then construct a mine and downstream Coated Spherical Purified Graphite ("CSPG") processing and production facilities, it should be further noted that no supply agreement exists today with respect to US DoD Li-ion battery projects. AGC USA has also received significant and increasing interest from several US government research laboratories working to develop next-generation energy and materials technologies, using domestically sourced natural flake graphite from the contiguous United States (excluding Hawaii and Alaska).
AGC and AGC USA President, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, Donald Baxter commented, "Having our US subsidiary assigned a DUNS number and CAGE code is a critical step in AGC's path to becoming a US government battery-ready graphite supplier of our American-sourced-and-manufactured CSPG, identified by the ULTRACSPG™ trademark - the very first trademarked sourced-in-America, natural battery-ready graphite for use in lithium-ion batteries.
"Additionally, we are now able to vigorously pursue all relevant potential US granting opportunities," stated Mr. Baxter. "In connection with our pursuit of such opportunities, I will be working very closely with AGC USA's CSPG manufacturing team (consisting of three Ph.D. scientists and seven battery materials engineers, working in our US-based, dedicated, state-of-the-art battery materials research laboratory) and AGC's Director of Technology, graphite expert George C. Hawley, along with Strategic Advisor, DoD battery industry expert Randy A. Moore, and AGC Independent Director Dr. Gareth Hatch, who holds United States citizenship and has served as Principal Investigator on multi-million dollar research programs, funded by the DoD's US Army Research Laboratory ("ARL")."
