6K Inc. announced that the U.S. Department of War, through its Office of Strategic Capital, has provided the company with a conditional loan commitment of up to $250 million intended to support the construction and development of a domestic cathode materials production facility, PlusCAM, in Jackson, Tennessee. The release was issued on November 5 (U.S. Eastern time) .
According to the disclosure, the financing is intended to establish a secure, resilient and scalable domestic supply of metal oxide cathode materials — a critical component of high energy density lithium-ion batteries used in defense, drones, mobility, energy storage and robotics. 6K says the United States remains heavily dependent on foreign-produced cathode materials, a condition that creates supply chain risk for industries increasingly reliant on advanced batteries.
On the technology side, 6K uses its U.S.-developed microwave plasma (UniMelt) process, which its 6K Additive business already applies to producing critical metal powders for the defense industrial base. According to the company, UniMelt enables cathode synthesis without traditional pCAM precursors, creating a closed-loop facility that converts metal or alternative feedstocks into cathode with minimal waste, while reducing dependence on materials sourced from Foreign Entities of Concern.
CEO Saurabh Ullal said the long-term conditional commitment will be instrumental in enabling domestic cathode production, and that the Jackson facility will bring critical manufacturing capacity to the United States while supporting more than 200 high-quality jobs. The financing is contingent on substantial conditions, including government authorizations, the availability of appropriations, completion of due diligence to the Department of War's satisfaction, and 6K meeting a comprehensive set of financial, legal, technical and regulatory conditions before any funds are disbursed.
