The award of this contract follows the execution by KBR of various development services from Front-End Loading Feasibility through the current stage of the project. KBR will work in support of Chemetall Foote to help the company meet its goal of increasing lithium hydroxide production in response to an increase in demand and forecasted growth of electric vehicles. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2011.

The DOE grant funding is provided under the Electric Drive Vehicle Battery and Component Manufacturing Initiative (DE-FOA-0000026) of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) that provides up to approximately $2 billion in federal stimulus funding to support the creation of American jobs while promoting the development of US-based advanced battery production for the EDV market.

KBR is a global engineering, construction and services company supporting the energy, hydrocarbon, government services, minerals, civil infrastructure, power and industrial markets. Chemetall Foote, a member of the Chemetall group headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany is the world’s leading manufacturer of lithium-based compounds and an innovative developer of metal-based fine chemicals for use in specialty applications.

Chemetall has lithium production facilities in the United States, Chile, Germany and Taiwan. Rockwood Holdings, Inc., the parent company of Chemetall, is a leading global specialty chemicals and advanced materials company.