HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – The Christian County Chamber of Commerce held an economic update during their Eye Opener Breakfast, where a representative from ExxonMobil spoke about what is happening behind the scenes at their newly acquired facility in Hopkinsville.
In September of 2025, ExxonMobil entered into an agreement to acquire the technology and U.S.-based assets of Superior Graphite. Following this acquisition, the Superior Graphite facility on Calvin Drive in Hopkinsville has since transitioned to operating as ExxonMobil and will serve as the blueprint for future growth.
“We are wanting to get this business off the ground here in Hopkinsville to learn and work and develop the technology,” said Robert Bacon, the advanced graphite solutions operations manager with the company. He addressed chamber members and community leaders, adding that this experience will allow ExxonMobil to scale the process at other locations.
What is synthetic graphite, what do they do at the Hopkinsville facility?
In a news release, they previously explained how the company plans to leverage existing U.S. Gulf Coast facilities to produce advanced coke, the precursor for synthetic graphite. The advanced coke is converted to advanced synthetic graphite utilizing the newly acquired Superior Graphite assets.
A video on the ExxonMobil website explains that the advanced coke is sent to the Hopkinsville facility for the graphitization process, where it then becomes advanced synthetic graphite. After it is packaged locally, it is ready for use in lithium-ion batteries.
Synthetic graphite can play a critical role in the energy transition, according to ExxonMobil. It’s a key component in electric vehicles and battery energy stationary storage solutions. Specifically, it is used in the anode of the battery and plays a big role in total battery performance. The process at the Hopkinsville facility can yield four times the battery life and increased charging capacity.
“We are excited to be part of the Hopkinsville community,” said Bacon during the economic update. His presentation detailed that ExxonMobil is committed to being a good corporate citizen and community partner with the goal of helping to improve society and the quality of life wherever they operate.
This includes protecting the health, safety and security of the public and their employees while responsibly managing their socioeconomic impact and upholding respect for human rights. The also plan to support local civic organizations and inspire youth to pursue STEM careers through partnerships.
| DOWNLOAD THE APP: Sign up for our free Christian County Now app