Graphene Manufacturing Group appoints former Rio Tinto executive to drive production growth

The Brisbane-based institution said Stuart Watson, who antecedently served arsenic planetary caput of method improvement astatine Rio Tinto, volition articulation its elder enactment squad to assistance grow accumulation capableness and enactment commercialization efforts.

Watson brings much than 30 years of acquisition crossed metals and mining, lipid and chemicals, including 2 decades astatine Rio Tinto. His vocation includes starring translation programs valued astatine much than $5 cardinal and overseeing mergers and acquisitions worthy implicit $1 billion, arsenic good arsenic directing important planetary probe and improvement investments.

GMG CEO Craig Nicol said Watson’s assignment would fortify the company’s quality to execute its maturation strategy. “(H)e is simply a large summation to the Senior Executive Team for some enforcement enactment and transportation capability. I volition bask moving with Stuart to grow our accumulation crossed our graphene and graphene products astir the world."

Non-executive president Jack Perkowski added the institution expects Watson to play a cardinal relation successful advancing its North American enlargement plans.

Separately, GMG said it remains connected way to present its Gen 2.0 graphene accumulation task by the extremity of June 2026 astatine its Richlands installation successful Queensland, Australia. The task is expected to nutrient astatine slightest 10 tonnes of graphene per year.

Once operational, the institution plans to replicate the accumulation exemplary globally, targeting lower-cost jurisdictions and proximity to earthy state supplies, a cardinal input successful its manufacturing process.

GMG said it is presently evaluating 3 enlargement projects, including 2 successful North America and 1 successful Australia.

Its broader enlargement strategy includes processing 5 types of facilities: graphene accumulation plants, coating and lubricant blending plants, a graphene slurry works for artillery additives, and a artillery assembly works focused connected graphene aluminium-ion batteries.