Neomat CAM plant: consortium in charge of civil engineering selected
PRESS RELEASE
Neomat CAM plant: consortium in charge of civil engineering selected
Dunkirk, 9 September 2026 - 17:40
Neomat CAM, a joint venture between XTC New Energy and Orano, has awarded to the consortium led by Eiffage the contract for earthworks and construction of the buildings at the new Neomat CAM plant, which will manufacture cathode active material (CAM) components for electric vehicle batteries.
This new milestone follows the start of preparatory work marked by the laying of the foundation stone for the future Neomat CAM plant on 29 May 2026 at the Gravelines and Loon-Plage site, and the naming ceremony held on 16 July for the tunnel boring machine which will dig the tunnel for the plant’s effluent pipes.
This major industrial project, representing an investment of nearly €500 million, is part of the industrialisation drive in the Dunkirk area and the development of the European electric vehicle battery industry.
The consortium is made up of Eiffage Génie Civil (lead contractor), Eiffage Construction, Eiffage Métal, Eiffage Route, plus Bemaco and Ramery. It will carry out the construction of the plant, covering a total surface area of nearly 60,000 m², which will notably include a 45,000 m² workshop, a 5,900 m² warehouse, a 5,650 m² industrial water treatment station and a 2,500 m² utilities area.
The works will require 37,000 m³ of concrete produced by a batching plant installed on site, approximately 3,000 tonnes of rebar and 6,200 tonnes of steel for the metal framework, to be sourced mostly from France and Europe.
Up to 400 people, mainly from the Dunkirk area, will be involved in these construction and fit-out works, which will continue until 2028.
“We are proud to be building this plant with French industrial partners recognised for their areas of expertise,” commented Michael Liu, CEO of Neomat CAM. “In addition to safety, we will pay very close attention to quality of execution, compliance with deadlines and the integration of local companies throughout the project.”
“We are now entering an implementation phase with this project, a real testament to the ambition of Orano and XTC New Energy to play a part in building a competitive European value chain for electric vehicle batteries,” added Philippe Hatron, Director of Orano’s Batteries program and a member of the Board of Directors of Neomat CAM. “To achieve this, we can rely on an efficient industrial ecosystem in the Hauts-de-France region and on the skills of leading French partners.”
Guillaume Sauvé, Chairman of Eiffage Génie Civil and of Eiffage Métal, concluded by saying: “This new project is a concrete illustration of our commitment to build strong European sovereignty in the strategic electric batteries arena alongside our industrial partners. The result of cross-divisional collaboration across our civil engineering, metal, construction and road businesses, it highlights our integrated technical know-how and our ability to deliver demanding projects in terms of safety, quality and schedule adherence.”
About Neomat
Neomat is an industrial project developed by Orano and XTC New Energy to create an integrated materials value chain for electric vehicle batteries in France. Based in Dunkirk, its ambition is to bring together Neomat CAM for cathode active materials (CAM), Neomat PCAM for its CAM precursors and a strategic metals recycling plant project, thereby laying the foundations for a new low-carbon circular economy in support of the ecological transition. The Neomat CAM project aims to anchor skills firmly in France. Once it has been commissioned, the site will incorporate research and development activities to embed cathode active materials know-how in the region for the long term.
With a nominal capacity of 40,000 tonnes of cathode active materials (CAM) per year, the Neomat CAM plant will be able to equip up to 500,000 electric vehicles each year. Production is scheduled to commence at the end of 2028. During its operational phase, the plant will generate nearly 400 direct and 200 indirect jobs.
About XTC New Energy
XTC New Energy is a Chinese group headquartered in Xiamen, China. It is a major player in its market for the supply of materials for electric vehicles. With more than 20 years of experience in R&D, production and engineering in the field of cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries, the group has 2 R&D centres, 8 production sites, and 15 branches and subsidiaries with nearly 5,000 employees worldwide. XTC New Energy has a clear customer structure, a leading position and a strong reputation in the global digital devices market and the global electric vehicles market.
The group’s ambition is to grow its international competitiveness in the new energy materials industry by providing advanced solutions that help advance the goal of carbon neutrality.
About Orano
As a leading international operator in nuclear materials, Orano delivers solutions to address present and future energy and health challenges. Through its expertise and advanced proficiency in cutting-edge technologies, Orano is able to offer its customers high value-added products and services spanning the entire fuel cycle. By leveraging their skills, their stringent safety and security standards and their relentless pursuit of innovation, all 18,500 employees of the group are committed to developing know-how in the transformation and control of nuclear materials, for the climate and for a healthy and resource-efficient world, today and tomorrow.
About Eiffage
Eiffage is a European leader in construction, property, energy services and concessions. Established in the major European markets, the Group aspires to be a key player in the environmental transition, energy sovereignty and sustainable mobility while actively contributing to creating the cities and infrastructure of tomorrow. Thanks to the experience of more than 87,000 employees, Eiffage generated revenue of €25.3 billion in 2025, of which almost 36% was outside France.
Press contact
Neomat CAM
Cécile Crampon +33 6 74 69 34 25 cecile.crampon@orano.group
David Huang +33 7 59 39 33 37 huang.kunpeng2@cxtc.com
Eiffage
Emma Lortsch
Tel.: +33 1 71 59 51 02
emma.lortsch@eiffage.com