NEO Battery Materials and Rockwell Automation to Collaborate on Automation of Windsor Silicon Anode Manufacturing Plant

TORONTO, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

• Collaborating with Rockwell Automation, World's Largest Company Dedicated to Industrial Automation and Digital Transformation
• To Integrate Advanced Automation Solutions to Improve Manufacturing Efficiency, Quality Control, and Scalability for Silicon Anode Manufacturing Process
  • Enabling Digital Tools for Real-Time Monitoring & Data-Driven Insights
    
    

NEO Battery Materials Ltd. ("NEO" or the "Company") (TSXV: NBM) (OTC:NBMFF), a low-cost silicon anode materials developer that enables longer-running, rapid-charging lithium-ion batteries, is pleased to collaborate with Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based Rockwell Automation Inc. ("Rockwell") (NYSE:ROK), the world's largest company dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation. Through this collaboration, NEO aims to integrate advanced automation solutions that will improve production efficiency, quality control, and scalability at NEO's planned silicon anode manufacturing facility in Windsor, Ontario.

With NEO Battery's development of its silicon anode technology, Rockwell Automation intends to aid the Company achieving operational readiness for large-scale, commercial production. By implementing Rockwell's advanced automation and digitalization solutions, NEO will streamline its manufacturing capabilities, optimize resource use, and support a more robust, cost-effective production process. Digital tools will also enable real-time monitoring and data-driven insights, supporting enhanced decision-making and reducing leadtime to workflows.

"We are excited to grow the auto and EV battery category in our industry," said Brian Holte, Regional Vice President, North America, of Sales Strategy and Transformation at Rockwell Automation. "Supporting NEO's growth is a strategic imperative for us as we continue to establish our products and solutions to scale the company's output with higher efficiencies and ultimately growth to both company's bottom lines."

As NEO Battery Materials commercializes its facilities in Windsor, the Company envisions to expand operations in the United States to pursue silicon anode manufacturing activities and value-added projects. Rockwell Automation will be engaged to help launch further facilities, such as in Ohio, in the future.

"Teaming up with Rockwell Automation was a strategic step to help us scale our battery materials commercialization and production," said Spencer Huh, President and CEO of NEO Battery Materials. "The value proposition provided by utilizing solutions from Rockwell will help grow and streamline production, delivering the highest quality products to our customers."

About Rockwell Automation Inc.

Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE:ROK), is a global leader in industrial automation and digital transformation. We connect the imaginations of people with the potential of technology to expand what is humanly possible, making the world more productive and more sustainable. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rockwell Automation employs approximately 27,000 problem solvers dedicated to our customers in more than 100 countries. To learn more about how we are bringing the Connected Enterprise® to life across industrial enterprises, visit www.rockwellautomation.com.

About NEO Battery Materials Ltd.

NEO Battery Materials is a Canadian battery materials technology company focused on developing silicon anode materials for lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles, electronics, and energy storage systems. With a patent-protected, low-cost manufacturing process, NEO Battery enables longer-running and ultra-fast charging batteries compared to existing state-of-the-art technologies. The Company aims to be a globally-leading producer of silicon anode materials for the electric vehicle and energy storage industries. For more information, please visit the Company's website at: https://www.neobatterymaterials.com/.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Spencer Huh

Director, President, and CEO

For Investor Relations, PR & More Information:

[email protected]

T: +1 (437) 451-7678

This news release includes certain forward-looking statements as well as management's objectives, strategies, beliefs and intentions. All information contained herein that is not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking information. Generally, such forward-looking information can be identified notably by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: volatile stock prices; the general global markets and economic conditions; the possibility of write-downs and impairments; the risk associated with the research and development of advanced and battery-related technologies; the risk associated with the effectiveness and feasibility of technologies that have not yet been tested or proven on commercial scale; manufacturing process scale-up risks, including maintaining consistent material quality, production yields, and process reproducibility at a commercial scale; compatibility issues with existing battery chemistries and unforeseen the risks associated with entering into and maintaining collaborations, joint ventures, or partnerships with battery cell manufacturers, original equipment manufacturers, and various companies in the global battery supply chain; the risks associated with the construction, completion, and financing of commercial facilities including the Windsor and South Korean facilities; the risks associated with supply chain disruptions or cost fluctuations in raw materials, processing chemicals, and additive prices, impacting production costs and commercial viability; the risks associated with uninsurable risks arising during the course of research, development and production; competition faced by the Company in securing experienced personnel and financing; access to adequate infrastructure and resources to support battery materials research and development activities; the risks associated with changes in the technology regulatory regime governing the Company; the risks associated with the timely execution of the Company's strategies and business plans; the risks associated with the lithium-ion battery industry's demand and adoption of the Company's silicon anode technology; market adoption and integration challenges, including the difficulty of incorporating silicon anodes within battery manufacturers and OEMs systems; the risks associated with the various environmental and political regulations the Company is subject to; risks related to regulatory and permitting delays; the reliance on key personnel; liquidity risks; the risk of litigation; risk management; and other risk factors as identified in the Company's recent Financial Statements and MD&A and in recent securities filings for the Company which are available on www.sedarplus.ca. Forward-looking information is based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable at the time such statements are made, including but not limited to, continued R&D and commercialization activities, no material adverse change in precursor prices, development and commercialization plans to proceed in accordance with plans and such plans to achieve their stated expected outcomes, receipt of required regulatory approvals, and such other assumptions and factors as set out herein. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. Such forward-looking information has been provided for the purpose of assisting investors in understanding the Company's business, operations, research and development, and commercialization plans and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is made as of the date of this presentation, and the Company does not undertake to update such forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

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