Agenda introduction
Join the whole nickel supply chain, from nickel producers to battery and stainless steel manufacturers, for a robust debate on the sustainable production, trade and consumption of nickel. Hear from Government and industry leading companies from across Indonesia and international markets.
You can also add the Sulphur & Sulphuric Acid Add-On Day to your main conference pass to explore sulphur and sulphuric acid market drivers. Attend alongside nickel and fertilizer consumers who will be joined by the world’s largest sulphur and acid producers to reconstruct partnerships, develop agile strategies and optimize business opportunities.
Agenda
Tuesday 22 April
Sulphur & Sulphuric Acid Focus Day*
- *Please note: This is a fixed price day of content that should be added to your main conference pass for the Argus Nickel Indonesia Conference.
- 08:00 - 09:00
Exhibition and registration open
- 08:00-09:15
Executive roundtable discussion: Fertilizers and metals markets for sulphur and sulphuric acid
Join this roundtable for high-level discussions on the future of the sulphur sector.
Morning sessions
- 09:20 - 09:25
Argus welcome to Sulphur & Sulphuric Acid Focus Day
Welcoming attendees from across the sectors, including fertilizers and metals, plus key participants in both value chains from sulphur producers, trading firms, brokers and more.Speakers Include:
Maria Mosquera
Editor - SulphurArgus
Lili Minton
Editor - Sulphuric acidArgus- 09:25 - 09:45
Keynote opening: Indonesia’s role in the global sulphur and sulphuric markets
A fertilizer and nickel production powerhouse • How is Indonesia positioning itself as a leader across sectors such as fertilizers and nickel? • With new capacity for sulphuric acid coming on line at the end of 2024, how has the market reacted? • Where is the product being used? How will trade flows be changing? Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam- 09:45 - 10:45
Sulphur producer keynote: Sulphur’s role as a critical raw material across sectors
• What plans are there for refining expansions? Why is this important? Environmental regulations • The lion’s share: The fertilizer sector’s global sulphur consumption • How has Indonesia emerged as a key consumption hub across various sectors?Moderator:
Maria Mosquera
Editor - SulphurArgus- 10:45 - 12:00
Trading places and new perspectives from market entrants: How are buyers looking at the sulphur markets?
Join this fireside chat to hear perspectives from each sector about the challenges, opportunities and silver linings in the industry in Asia right now. • End-user perspectives 1: How does a fertilizer producer view sulphur? • End-user perspectives 2: How does a nickel producer view the sulphur and sulphuric acid markets? • Q&A sessionModerator:
Deon Ngee
Senior Reporter – FertilizersArgus Media
Networking lunch break - Sulphur & Sulphuric Acid Focus Day
- 12:00 - 14:00
Lunch break
- 13:15 - 14:00
Speed networking session: Fertilizers and metals markets for sulphur and sulphuric acid
Open to attendees with an add-on pass. Session takes place in the main exhibition area, in the Indonesia corner, highlighting the new sectors involved in the sulphur and sulphuric acid markets.
Afternoon sessions
- 14:00 - 14:05
Chairperson’s opening remarks
Lili Minton
Editor - Sulphuric acidArgus- 14:05 - 14:30
Sulphur and sulphuric acid market interaction: A waiting game?
• Sulphur and sulphuric acid market dynamics: Where is the market today? • How are swing buyers viewing the current market? What does this mean for the fertilizer sector? • How much has the market shifted in reality vs expectations? Indonesia and India have new smelter capacity coming on line. Will they compete with China, Japan and South Korea?- 14:30 - 15:10
How much has metals demand for sulphur and sulphuric acid grown in the past two years?
• Sulphur plants have ramped up. What projects are in the pipeline? What sectors are they targeting? • Battery materials demand growth expectations and what they mean for the price of sulphur and sulphuric acid • Is there going to be a correlation point between nickel cfr Indonesia and the DAP fertilizer price?- 15:10 - 15:50
Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery focus: Between a rock and a hard place?
• What are the benefits of an LFP battery? How do they compare with nickel batteries? • State of the market: Project progress in China, Canada, Australia and Indonesia • What markets are LFP battery manufacturers competing with for high-quality phosphate rock? Fertilizers, feed phosphates and industrial applications- 15:50 - 16:15
Networking break
- 15:50 - 16:50
Sulphuric acid masterclass: A question of economics
• New smelter capacities coming on line: When did they come on line in Indonesia, and what has been the ripple effect in the market? • Government regulation changes: What are the implications of changes in both India and China for the rest of the market? • Concentrate shortages: Can China continue to expand acid production with a shortage of concentrate? • Freight – making or breaking business: Constraints on the availability of the fleet and the impact on delivered product costsSpeakers Include:
Lili Minton
Editor - Sulphuric acidArgus
Welcome reception - only open to attendees with the add-on
- 17:30 - 19:00
Welcome reception
Welcome reception only open to attendees with a Sulphur & Sulphuric Acid Day add-on pass.
Wednesday 23 April - Conference day one
- 08.15 - 09.10
Morning registration and networking
- 09.10 - 09.15
Producer’s opening remarks
Speakers Include:
Shyla Bector
Conference ProducerArgus- 09.15 - 09.25
Chairperson’s opening remarks
Speakers Include:
Kevin Gunawan
Business Development Manager, IndonesiaArgusKomjen Pol. (P) Drs. Nanan Soekarna
ChairmanIndonesian Nickel Miners Association (APNI)- 09.25 - 09.35
Ministerial address: Environmental sustainability strategy in Indonesia’s nickel supply chain
Speakers Include:
Hanif Faisol Nurofiq
Minister of Environment/Environmental Control AgencyRepublic of Indonesia- 09.35 - 09.45
Opening address: Investing in Indonesia’s nickel – the way forward
Speakers Include:
Tubagus Nugraha, S.T., M.Si
Executive Director for Synchronization of Priority Economic Program PoliciesNational Economic Council- 09.45 - 10.15
Government address: Shaping Indonesia’s booming nickel industry – future policies, mandates and incentives
Join this important session to gain better clarity on governmental policies in Indonesia.
- How is the Indonesian government encouraging expansion in the nickel market through capacity expansion, technology enhancement, investment, and incentives?
- Will new incentives and subsidies be introduced?
- What are the latest updates on the mining production quotas in Indonesia, and how are the RKAB policy developments unfolding?
Speakers Include:
Nizhar Marizi
Director of Energy Resources, Mineral, and MiningMinistry of National Development Planning (Bappenas), Republic of Indonesia- 10.15 - 11.00
Morning coffee and networking
- 12.50 - 14.15
Networking lunch
Nickel End-User Perspectives
- 14.15 - 15.00
Nickel’s largest demand market: An outlook on Asia’s stainless steel industry and its impact on NPI demand
- Considering that the majority of nickel consumption is driven by the stainless steel industry, what is the current and projected global market outlook?
- How are price fluctuations and weakening demand from the stainless steel sector expected to impact overall nickel demand and pricing in the coming months?
- In the context of growing markets, what is the growth trajectory of India/Japan/South Korea’s steel industry, and how does it influence the demand for nickel?
Speakers Include:
Li Li
Asian Sourcing Manager of Stainless SteelTrasteel International SA
C.S. Hsia
PresidentPT Walsin Research Innovation Indonesia
Chi Ling
Editor - MetalsArgus- 15.00 - 15.15
Argus presents: Powering the Future – unveiling nickel demand in the battery industry
- Join Argus experts and explore the rapidly evolving nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) battery market and its implications for nickel demand in Asia.
- Current and projected demand: What is the outlook for nickel demand in the electric vehicle (EV) battery market in Asia?
- Argus insights: examine the global landscape and the surging demand driven by the EV boom.
Speakers Include:
Thomas Kavanagh
Editor - Metals- 15.15 - 16.00
Panel discussion: EV battery demand – navigating growth and challenges in the market
- As demand for EV batteries continues to rise, driven by increasing EV sales, what are the key considerations for producers? What specifications should they keep in mind to meet this growing demand?
- How might the market evolve over time? How do policies impact these trends?
- What is the growth trajectory of key Asian markets such as China, Indonesia, and Malaysia in the EV sector?
Speakers Include:
Stan Wu
Head of Investor RelationsPT Merdeka Battery Materials Tbk
Yu Tak Kim
Professor of Dongshin Univ. and CEO of ABR
Aisha Daniyal
Co-Founder and Executive SecretaryMalaysia Zero Emission Vehicle Association (MyZEVA)Thomas Kavanagh
Editor - Metals
- 16.00 - 16.45
Afternoon coffee and networking
Spotlight on pan-Asian demand and growing markets of interest
- 16.45 - 17.00
South Korea and Japan’s dynamic nickel strategies
- What are the future growth projections for nickel demand in South Korea and Japan, particularly in relation to the EV and stainless steel industry?
- How are South Korea and Japan collaborating with other countries to secure nickel resources and enhance their supply chains?
- How do government policies and incentives in South Korea and Japan support investments in the nickel industry, and what is their impact on the global nickel market and supply chain?
Speakers Include:
Yu Tak Kim
Professor of Dongshin Univ. and CEO of ABR
Global Regulations
- 17.00 - 17.20
Impact of European trade policy on nickel - unravelling CBAM and its impact on your business
- How will the introduction of the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) impact the nickel market in Asia?
- What is the expected financial impact of CBAM for nickel imports from Asia into the EU?
- What strategies can nickel traders adopt to mitigate the potential impact of CBAM on their operations and profitability?
Speakers Include:
Simon Göß
Managing Director & FounderCarboneer
- 17.20 - 17.25
Chairperson’s closing remarks
- 17.25
Networking drinks reception
Thursday 24 April - Conference day two
- 08.30 - 09.30
Morning registration and networking
- 09.30 - 09.35
Chairperson’s opening remarks
Speakers Include:
Kevin Gunawan
Business Development Manager, IndonesiaArgus
Nickel Supply Chain Dynamics
- 09.35 - 09.55
Argus market update: Outlook of the caustic soda market and its impact on the production of nickel and its derivatives
- Given the critical role of caustic soda as one of the main feedstocks in the hydrometallurgical process in the production of nickel and its derivatives, join Argus experts to explore how shifts in the chlor-alkali industry, which produces caustic soda, impact nickel market dynamics.
- Discover the main drivers behind market price volatility, trade flows, energy costs and geopolitical factors.
- What are the key considerations in the shipping and trade of caustic soda, and how do these factors influence the overall production costs?
Speakers Include:
Bernard Law
Editor - Chlor-alkali AsiaArgus- 09.55 - 10.15
Fireside Chat: the impact of chemical feedstocks in nickel production
- Caustic soda and sulphuric acid are essential components of nickel production and influence production costs. How do fluctuations in the prices of sulphuric acid and caustic soda impact the production costs and market competitiveness of nickel in the global nickel industry?
- What transformations are occurring in these feedstock markets, and which regions are planning expansions?
- How can traders capitalise on the opportunities presented by the growing interest from the metals and battery industries?
Speakers Include:
Rajesh Shethia
Managing DirectorHiranyavarnaam Chemicals and Alkalis Pte Ltd SingaporeBernard Law
Editor - Chlor-alkali AsiaArgus
- 10.15 - 11.15
Morning coffee and networking
Sustainable Nickel Production
- 11.15 - 11.45
Circular economy in nickel production: Transforming scraps and tailings into strategic assets
- How can nickel producers integrate ESG principles to enhance efficiency and long-term resilience?
- What strategies can the battery industry adopt to reduce carbon emissions in midstream and downstream processes?
- How can industry collaboration drive responsible mining and accelerate the adoption of low-carbon technologies?
Speakers Include:
Muchtazar
Head of SustainabilityNickel Industries Limited- 11.45 - 12.10
Government address: Green nickel and sustainable mining practices
- How does the growing demand for green nickel in industries such as EV battery manufacturing and renewable energy technologies influence the global market dynamics for nickel?
- How are governmental policies and incentives around green premiums influencing the adoption of green nickel production practices?
- What impact could this have on the competitiveness of sustainably sourced nickel in the global market?
Speakers Include:
Apit Pria Nugraha
Head of Centre for Green IndustryMinistry of Industry, Republic of Indonesia
- 12.10 - 13.10
Lunch served and end of conference