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LG Chem of South Korea FDI in Bolivia’s Lithium Industry. LG Chem Global Strategy Team Scott He Harvey Hong Arash Parham Kenneth Turner. Executive Outline. LG Chem Company Overview & Global Strategy Lithium Opportunity Risks & Challenges Proposed FDI Project Go/No Go Decision.
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LG Chem of South Korea FDI in Bolivia’s Lithium Industry LG Chem Global Strategy Team Scott He Harvey Hong Arash Parham Kenneth Turner
Executive Outline • LG Chem Company Overview & Global Strategy • Lithium Opportunity • Risks & Challenges • Proposed FDI Project • Go/No Go Decision
The LG Chem Company Company Highlights Former LG Group Chem Division Publicly traded (Korean Stock Exch.) 2 primary segments IEM and Petrochemicals 13,000 employees worldwide 2008 Net Income KRW 1 trillion Key recent partnerships Lithium Battery supplier for: GM (fuel cells) Hyundai-Kia Volvo
Lithium Battery Value Chain Global Strategy Vertical integration Hedging against future price increase of lithium carbonate “For core business reinforcement, we need to achieve cost leadership, product leadership and market leadership. In difficult times with depressed demand and a global glut, our first and foremost challenge is to ensure cost leadership by reducing costs. By doing so, we can provide better products at cheaper prices than our competitors” - LG Chem CEO Kim Bahn-suk
Opportunity – Supply & DemandLithium Battery Industry • Lithium-Ion Battery Facts • Now, 84% of portable devices use lithium-ion batteries • Predicted, 60% of all electric vehicles in 10 years will operate on lithium-ion batteries (superior performance) • LG Chem Top Competitors in Lithium Battery Industry • Sanyo (Japan) • BYD (China) • Johnson Controls-Saft Joint Venture (US-France) • Enerdel (US) • A123 (US) • Electrovaya (Canada • China BAK Battery (China)
Risks & Challenges Political Risk Slow transition to democracy Pro-nationalism v. Pro-privatization Expropriation Poor Democracy (<$10,000 PPP GDP per capita) Political Risk Mitigation - Political Risk Insurance: (KEIC) Korea Export Insurance Corporation Source: ONDD 2010.
Risks & Challenges (cont.) • Past Economic Stress • Latin Amer. Debt Crisis 1980’s • Hyperinflation (nearly 60,000%) • Foreign exchange fluctuations • Recovery via economic austerity • Current Position • 100% IMF Debt relief in 2005 • Trade Surplus • Low sovereign debt/GDP • Current Account & Fiscal Surplus • Fitch currency rating “B” • Key risks remain – Central Bank
Proposed FDI Project Resource seeking greenfield JV with COMIBOL 40% share in $350M Lithium processing plant Positive NPV over 15-year horizon, highly dependent on the market price of lithium carbonate
NO GO • Political Environment • Erratic behavior of current government • Local population is anti-foreign investment • Strict regulatory environment • (maximum 40% share, limited management control) • Unreliable source of lithium due to uncertain political environment • Rate of Return (Risk vs. Reward) • Capital intensive project with cost overrun risks • Assessment score below target (<75) Go/No Go Decision
Questions? THANK YOU