WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Blue Whale Materials (BWM) a developer of state-of-the-art li-ion recycling plants, is pleased to announce several new appointments to its expanding leadership team.
Cory Spaugh has been named Chief Financial Officer. Cory is an accomplished financial management executive with extensive experience in the energy industry. He joins Blue Whale from Sapphire Gas Solutions where, as CFO, he successfully led several mergers and acquisitions. Cory’s background overseeing operations and formulating plans for growth will be a key factor in BWM’s future growth and add invaluable strength to the company’s financial initiatives.
Brian Schupbach has been named Vice President of Engineering and Technology. Brian has a successful track record over nearly 20 years of leading significant engineering projects in the li-ion battery and recycling industry, most recently at Redwood Materials, where he was VP of Manufacturing Engineering. Brian will play a leading role in bringing BWM’s validated technology to fruition.
Christina Chilcote has been named Director of Development. She will be leading BWM’s corporate development and customer service and interface function. Christina comes from a PhD background with 20 years of experience in international business relations. She will focus on expanding BWM’s business relations and implementing marketing strategies for growth.
David Barlin has been named Director of Projects and Operations. In this role, David will lead BWM’s plant design and will oversee the construction of BWM’s first-stage processing facilities. He brings 25 years of experience and a global perspective to BWM. Previously he served in several leadership roles at Nestle Health Sciences and Greka Drilling in Asia where he spearheaded operations and maintenance of large-scale operations.
“Blue Whale is thrilled to welcome Cory, Brian, Christina, and David to the team,” said Robert Kang, BWM’s CEO. “They are joining us at an exciting time and will help us build a sustainable, closed-loop recycling system for spent li-ion batteries in the United States. We are very pleased to be adding such incredible talent to BWM as we continue our mission to establish the preeminent li-ion battery collection and recycling network in the U.S.”
“I’m excited to be joining BWM’s leadership team at this important moment in their growth trajectory,” said Cory Spaugh, “The li-ion battery recycling industry has reached a tipping point, and BWM is well-positioned to meaningfully contribute to the United States’ sustainable recycling solutions.”
“BWM is leading the way in establishing a cost-efficient, sustainable, and secure domestic supply of critical minerals, and making innovative recycling solutions accessible to all,” said Brian Schupbach, "I look forward to helping BWM build these critical manufacturing facilities over the next few years and bringing the company’s innovative solutions to life.”
About Blue Whale Materials
BWM is building state-of-the-art li-ion recycling plants in the U.S. using proprietary, leading-edge technology that has been validated [at a commercial scale] in Asia. BWM’s low-energy, sustainable process takes spent li-ion batteries and produces high value recycled product containing cobalt, nickel, and lithium. Ultimately, this technology contributes to a more cost-efficient, sustainable, and secure domestic supply of these critical minerals and reduces reliance on mining abroad.
To learn more about Blue Whale Materials, please visit its website here.
Blue Whale Materials is a portfolio company of Ara Partners, a private equity firm specializing in industrial decarbonization investments. Ara Partners invests in the industrial & manufacturing, chemicals & materials, energy efficiency & green fuels and food & agriculture sectors, seeking to build businesses that provide significant decarbonization impact. Ara Partners closed its second fund with approximately $1.1 billion in capital commitments in September 2021.
For more information on Ara Partners, please visit its website here.
