Wikborg Rein has assisted Altor Fund V (No 1) AB and Altor Fund V (No 2) AB with the contemplated investment in Vianode AS alongside Elkem and Hydro in a strategic partnership. After the investment, each of Altor and Hydro will have an ownership stake of 30 % and Elkem will own the remaining 40 %.

Vianode has developed a range of synthetic graphite products for batteries with unique performance characteristics and produced with significantly lower CO2 emissions than today’s standard materials. The company is currently in a business development phase, and the investments from Altor, Hydro and Elkem is the first step towards establishing the company's first full scale plant for commercial purposes.

For more information, see:

• https://www.dn.no/industri/elkem/norsk-hydro/altor/hydro-og-altor-blir-med-elkem-pa-batterisatsing/2-1-1197262
• https://e24.no/det-groenne-skiftet/i/k6j1g9/elkem-hydro-og-altor-blir-partnere-satser-paa-vianodes-batterimaterialer
• https://www.tu.no/artikler/elkem-hydro-og-altor-skal-oke-tempoet-i-batteriproduksjon/518630
• https://newsweb.oslobors.no/message/558615

The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals, including competition authorities.

Wikborg Rein's core M&A team comprised of Sigurd Opedal and Cecilie Andersen Haadem.