Top 10 Advanced Materials Companies in 2026 in UK, Europe, India, Israel, Asia and US/Canada

From battery-grade chemistries to perovskite photovoltaics and specialty polymers, advanced materials leaders across the UK, Europe, India, Israel, Asia, and North America entered 2026 with fresh product, capacity, and partnership updates in the past 45 days. This roundup highlights 10 companies with notable late-2025 announcements and early-2026 momentum, including BASF, Arkema, Johnson Matthey, Oxford PV, ICL Group, StoreDot, Log9 Materials, Tata Chemicals, Umicore, and 3M.

Published: January 4, 2026 By Aisha Mohammed, Technology & Telecom Correspondent Category: Advanced Materials

Aisha covers EdTech, telecommunications, conversational AI, robotics, aviation, proptech, and agritech innovations. Experienced technology correspondent focused on emerging tech applications.

Top 10 Advanced Materials Companies in 2026 in UK, Europe, India, Israel, Asia and US/Canada
Executive Summary
  • Ten advanced materials leaders across the UK, Europe, India, Israel, Asia, and US/Canada posted late-2025 to early-2026 updates on batteries, photovoltaics, specialty polymers, and catalysts, reflecting strong demand entering 2026 (BASF newsroom, Arkema news).
  • Regional innovation spans perovskite solar breakthroughs, fast-charge battery milestones, graphene-enhanced systems, and new catalyst platforms, with supply chain and sustainability themes prominent (Oxford PV news, StoreDot announcements).
  • Companies signal capital investment and partnerships to scale production, with Europe and Asia emphasizing electrification materials and North America focusing on specialty solutions (Umicore newsroom, 3M News).
  • Policy and certification pressures are shaping materials portfolios, driving low-carbon chemistries and end-of-life pathways across battery and polymer ecosystems (ICL Group press room, Tata Chemicals press).
Why These 10 Are Setting the Pace Late-year and early-January updates show the sector entering 2026 with production expansions, technology validations, and customer programs across energy storage, clean energy, and high-performance composites. European players like BASF, Arkema, and Umicore signaled momentum in battery-grade precursors and specialty polymer lines, underscoring resilient demand across automotive and industrial markets (BASF newsroom). In the UK, Johnson Matthey reinforced its specialty catalysts and battery materials credentials, while Oxford PV continued perovskite PV progress, reflecting tangible steps to scale next-generation solar at the module level (JM news, Oxford PV news). India’s Log9 Materials and Tata Chemicals featured updates around energy storage materials and supply chain partnerships, highlighting the region’s fast-evolving domestic manufacturing base (Log9 newsroom, Tata Chemicals press). Israel’s ICL Group and StoreDot maintained visibility in specialty minerals and fast-charge battery chemistries; in North America, 3M advanced adhesives, films, and safety materials tied to industrial and electronics applications, rounding out the cross-regional list (ICL press room, StoreDot news, 3M News). Regional Highlights: UK, Europe, India, Israel, Asia, US/Canada Europe’s chemicals and materials incumbents focused on sustainability-driven portfolios. BASF and Arkema emphasized advanced polymers and battery materials improvements, while Umicore continued to align cathode materials programs with downstream OEM needs heading into 2026 (Arkema news, Umicore newsroom). This builds on broader Advanced Materials trends. In the UK, Johnson Matthey and Oxford PV showcased updates that connect to clean energy growth, from catalysts supporting lower-emission pathways to perovskite technology poised for module-level advances (JM news, Oxford PV news). India’s Log9 Materials and Tata Chemicals pointed to energy-focused materials and strategic partnerships aligned to domestic electrification priorities (Log9 newsroom, Tata Chemicals press). Israel’s advanced materials footprint remained active with ICL Group and StoreDot, reflecting supply and technology roadmaps for battery-grade inputs and ultra-fast charging cells (ICL press, StoreDot news). In North America, 3M continued updating its portfolio in adhesives, films, and safety materials for manufacturing and electronics customers (3M News). For more on related Advanced Materials developments. Company Comparison
CompanyRegionFocus AreaRecent Update Source
BASFEurope (Germany)Battery materials, specialty polymersBASF newsroom
ArkemaEurope (France)Specialty polymers, adhesivesArkema news
UmicoreEurope (Belgium)Cathode materials, recyclingUmicore newsroom
Johnson MattheyUKCatalysts, battery materialsJM news
Oxford PVUKPerovskite solar modulesOxford PV news
Log9 MaterialsIndiaBattery materials, energy storageLog9 newsroom
Tata ChemicalsIndiaBattery-grade chemistries, specialty inputsTata Chemicals press
ICL GroupIsraelSpecialty minerals for energyICL press room
StoreDotIsraelFast-charge battery technologyStoreDot news
3MUSAdhesives, films, safety materials3M News
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Investment, Supply Chain, and Policy Signals Across these recent updates, companies underscore investment in scaling facilities and partnerships to secure supply for energy transition materials. European incumbents like BASF and Umicore continue leveraging integrated supply chains for cathode active materials and recycling pathways, responding to downstream OEM programs and certification demands (Umicore newsroom). North American players such as 3M show steady product iteration cycles across industrial applications (3M News). In Israel, ICL Group highlights specialty minerals aligned to battery and high-performance segments, while StoreDot continues its technology demonstration and validation cadence with automotive partners (ICL press, StoreDot news). In India, Log9 Materials and Tata Chemicals emphasize domestic capacity and supply resilience initiatives for 2026 (Log9 newsroom, Tata Chemicals press). What to Watch in Early 2026 Expect continued announcements on factory ramp schedules, multi-year offtake agreements, and sustainability credentials across polymers, battery-grade inputs, and next-gen photovoltaic materials. Perovskite module progress from the UK and cathode materials scaling in Europe will remain focal points as the auto and electronics sectors firm up 2026 demand (Oxford PV news, BASF newsroom). North American specialty materials players will likely stress reliability and incremental performance gains for customers in industrial and electronics markets (3M News). In Israel and India, battery chemistry maturation and supply chain localization should drive regional differentiation, with fast-charge technology and mineral inputs shaping competitive advantages (StoreDot news, ICL press). These insights align with latest Advanced Materials innovations and help frame early-2026 execution priorities.

About the Author

AM

Aisha Mohammed

Technology & Telecom Correspondent

Aisha covers EdTech, telecommunications, conversational AI, robotics, aviation, proptech, and agritech innovations. Experienced technology correspondent focused on emerging tech applications.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which companies are leading advanced materials innovation entering 2026 across the covered regions?

The roundup highlights BASF, Arkema, and Umicore in Europe; Johnson Matthey and Oxford PV in the UK; Log9 Materials and Tata Chemicals in India; ICL Group and StoreDot in Israel; and 3M in the US. These companies disclosed late-2025 and early-2026 updates spanning battery-grade chemistries, perovskite photovoltaics, specialty polymers, catalysts, and industrial films. Collectively, their moves point to production scaling, new product validations, and deeper OEM partnerships, reinforcing momentum for electrification and high-performance applications.

What advanced materials segments saw notable activity in the past 45 days?

Battery materials and perovskite photovoltaics stood out, alongside specialty polymers and adhesives. European players emphasized cathode materials and recycling pathways, while UK activity centered on perovskite module advances. India showcased energy storage partnerships and localization efforts, Israel highlighted fast-charge chemistries and mineral inputs, and North America updated industrial adhesives and films. These developments suggest steady demand from automotive, electronics, and industrial sectors as companies prepare 2026 volumes.

How are sustainability and policy pressures influencing these companies’ announcements?

Sustainability is a clear driver, with companies signaling lower-carbon chemistries, recycling, and supply chain transparency. European firms align materials portfolios to OEM sustainability targets and certification regimes, while North American updates emphasize reliability and safety. Israel and India show regional differentiation through fast-charge battery technology and domestic supply resilience. Together, these factors indicate tighter compliance and end-of-life considerations are becoming integral to product development and scaling narratives.

What should enterprise buyers and OEMs monitor in early 2026 from these materials suppliers?

Buyers should watch for factory ramp timelines, multi-year offtake agreements, and performance metrics for battery-grade inputs, polymers, and perovskite modules. Key signals include production capacity disclosures, lifecycle and recycling integrations, and third-party validation data. Monitoring partnerships across automotive and electronics ecosystems can help anticipate availability and specification updates. Companies that communicate clear certification roadmaps and supply resilience strategies are likely to offer lower procurement risk.

How do these regional leaders fit into the broader competitive landscape for advanced materials?

These leaders reflect a diversified competitive map: Europe’s incumbents push battery materials and specialty polymers, the UK advances perovskite PV, India scales storage materials and localization, Israel accelerates fast-charge chemistries, and North America iterates industrial solutions. The landscape features both large incumbents and focused innovators, with collaborations and offtake agreements bridging upstream and downstream actors. Expect incremental differentiation through performance, sustainability credentials, and reliable volume delivery in 2026.