ALB vs LKQ Comparison

Albemarle is one of the world's largest lithium producers. In the lithium industry, the majority of demand comes from batteries, where lithium is used as the energy storage material, particularly in electric vehicles. Albemarle is a fully integrated lithium producer. Its upstream resources include salt brine deposits in Chile and the US and two hard rock mines in Australia, both of which are joint ventures. The company operates lithium refining plants in Chile, the US, Australia, and China. Albemarle is a global leader in the production of bromine, used in flame retardants. It is also a major producer of oil refining catalysts.

Since forming in 1998 to consolidate the auto salvage business in the United States, LKQ has developed into a leading distributor of aftermarket and recycled auto parts with around 1,500 facilities across North America and Europe. The company primarily sells into the professional channel and offers an assortment of collision and mechanical parts to both body shops and mechanical repair shops. It also continues to operate more than 70 LKQ pick-your-part junkyards. Separate from the self-service business, LKQ typically purchases around 250,000 salvage vehicles annually that are used to extract vehicle parts for resale.