Few materials are as structurally vital yet as strategically concentrated as graphite. It forms the foundation of lithium-ion battery anodes, thermal management systems, and advanced composites used in critical infrastructure.
Governments in North America and Europe have begun to recognise that supply security cannot rely on policy declarations alone. Tariffs, export restrictions, and industrial incentives are being rolled out to encourage domestic production and processing. Yet replicating the scale and efficiency of established incumbents is proving formidable. Processing graphite into high-purity, battery-grade material requires specialised know-how, complex purification technologies, and multi-year qualification by end users.
New entrants are positioning themselves along the entire value chain, from mine development through to downstream anode material production, seeking to create vertically integrated operations capable of serving Western battery and defence manufacturers.
As new facilities move from pilot scale to commercial readiness, qualification with downstream customers will determine which producers advance from promise to relevance. Those able to demonstrate technical performance, sustainability credentials, and reliable delivery stand to benefit as supply contracts tilt towards diversification.
Tirupati Graphite PLC (LON:TGR) is a fully integrated specialist graphite and graphene producer, with operations in Madagascar and Mozambique. The Company is delivering on this strategy by being fully integrated from mine to graphene. Its global multi-location operations include primary mining and processing in Madagascar, hi-tech graphite processing in India to produce specialty graphite, and a state-of-art graphene and technology R&D center to be established in India.
