WA will play a significant role in meeting the increasing global consumer demand for batteries, as portable electronic devises such as mobile phones become a way of life, according to HiTec Energy’s new general manager technical Chris Ward.
Dr Ward will develop HiTec Energy’s purpose-built electro-lytic manganese dioxide (EMD) production facility at Port Hedland.
The plant will produce high quality, low cost and environ-mentally friendly EMD, the electrofuel that gives portable batteries their power.
Dr Ward will spearhead the technical direction of the company through research, development and technical and managerial advice on future directions.
Dr Ward has more than 10 years’ experience in EMD production, the majority with BHP.
For six years he served in a number of technical and managerial roles at the company’s Newcastle EMD plant, including three years as production manager and three years as operations support manager at BHP’s Melbourne head office.
According to the Business News 2000 Book of Lists the company is ranked as WA’s 231st largest publicly listed company with assets of about $3.5 million.
The market, which took kindly to the project when it was announced in early August, bringing the share price up to 17¢, has fallen back to about 9¢.
