AMG Critical Materials N.V.

Good day and welcome to the AMG Q2 2022 earnings conference call. Today's conference is being recorded. At this time, I would like to turn the conference over to Ms. Michelle Falkischer, Vice President of Investor Relations. Please go ahead.

Welcome to AMG's second quarter 2022 earnings call. Joining me on this call are Dr. Hein Schimmelbusch, the Chairman of the Management Board and Chief Executive Officer of Mr. Jackson Dunkel, the Chief Financial Officer, and Mr. Eric Jackson, the Chief Operating Officer. AMG's second quarter 2022 earnings press release issued earlier today is on AMG's website. Today's call will begin with a review of the second quarter 2022 business highlights by Dr. Schimmelbusch. Mr. Dunkel will comment on AMG's financial results, and Mr. Jackson will discuss operations. At the completion of Mr. Jackson's remarks, Dr. Schimmelbusch will comment on strategy and outlook. We will then open the call to take your questions. Before I pass the call to Dr. Schimmelbusch, I would like to comment on forward-looking statements. This conference call could contain forward-looking statements about AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts but may include statements concerning AMG's plans, expectations, future revenues or performance, financing needs, plans, and intentions related to acquisitions, AMG's competitive strengths and weaknesses, reserves, financial position, and future operations and development, AMG's business strategy, and the trends AMG anticipates in the industries and political and legal environment in which it operates, and other similar or different information that is not historical information. When used in this conference call, the words expects, believes, anticipates, plans, may, will, should, and similar expressions, and the negative thereof, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that any predictions, forecasts, or similar projections contained by such forward-looking statements will not be achieved. These forward-looking statements speak only at the date of this conference. AMG expressly disclaims any obligations or revisions to any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in AMG's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any forward-looking statement is based. I will now pass the floor to Dr. Shimabush, AMG's Chairman of the Management Board and Chief Executive Officer.

Thank you, Michelle. I'm very pleased to announce that AMG generated the highest quarterly EBTA in our history in the second quarter of 2022. EBTA for Q2 22 was 81 million, up 156% from Q2 2021 and 48% higher than Q1 in 2022. This outstanding result is mainly driven by our AMG clean energy materials segment. Very strong lithium prices led to the improved profitability in AMG Brazil, as well as by increased aerospace activity within our AMG critical materials technology segment. major strategic projects cluster in our AMG clean energy materials segment, and all of these projects are proceeding as planned. Each of these projects is oriented towards growing our production of electricity storage materials or increasing our footprint in the circular economy. Commissioning has started at the Sainsville, Ohio, spent catalyst recycling facility. The roasting plant has reached its design capacity and is undergoing the final performance test. Actually, since this was written, it has now completed its performance test. The melt shop is starting the commissioning process, and the entire facility is expected to be fully operational this year. The expansion of AMG's Brazil lithium concentrate production is proceeding as planned. and the production is fully sold at market price long-term contracts. AMG has begun construction of the first European lithium battery-grade hydroxide refinery. For the first module of that, upgrader and the commissioning will commence in the second half of 2023. AMG's first lithium vanadium battery, or LIVA, for industrial power management application has begun commissioning. This revolutionary technology represents a substantial market opportunity for the company. SARPV and UCI, meaning Shell AMG Recycling PV, and United Company of Industries recently signed agreements in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This joint venture plans to execute four distinct projects under an entity currently being formed. And that is companies named in Saudi Arabia Advanced Circular Materials Company, ACMC. One. build, own, and operate a conversion plant for vanadium-containing gasification ash into vanadium oxide and vanadium electrolyte for redox flow batteries. Two, a spent catalyst recycling facility. Three, a fresh catalyst R&D facility. And four, mass energy storage facilities vanadium redox flow battery manufacturing based. Basic engineering for the first project has begun, and we lay the foundation for all other projects with the Supercenter. It will produce and sell high-purity vanadium oxide and vanadium electrolyte. This is the largest such project in the world and is under long-term market-based supply contracts with Aramco. The materials this project will produce are destined to feed the emerging vanadium redox flow battery market. We are extremely pleased to announce the accomplishments of these strategic projects along with the best quarterly financial results in the history of the company. I would now like to pass the floor to Jackson Dunkel, AMG's Chief Financial Officer. Jackson.