Asahi Kasei to significantly expand coating capacity for lithium-ion battery separators
Düsseldorf, Charlotte and Tokyo, 31 October 2023 – Asahi Kasei will invest in additional equipment for coating Hipore™ lithium-ion battery (LIB) separators. New coating lines will be installed at existing Asahi Kasei LIB separator facilities in the United States, Japan, and South Korea, with start-up scheduled in succession from the first half of fiscal year 2026. Through this investment the company establishes the capability to supply coated separators for batteries equivalent to 1.7 million electric vehicles.
Asahi Kasei supplies two types of Hipore™ wet-process LIB separators: a polyolefin microporous base film membrane and a coated membrane separator produced by applying ceramic and other coatings to the base film. As one of Asahi Kasei’s “10 Growth Gears” (GG10) businesses identified to lead the next phase of growth in the company’s medium-term management plan for fiscal year 2024 with a theme “Be a Trailblazer,” the separator business is a focus of proactive investment for capacity expansion to meet the significant increase in demand for electric vehicle applications.
Overview of the expansion
| Investment: | Approximately ¥40 billion¹ ² (1 EUR = 158.80 Yen, approx. 252 million EUR, closing rate as of Oct. 30, 2023, of the European Central Bank) |
| Locations: | Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Hyuga, Miyazaki, Japan; Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi, South Korea³ |
| Coating capacity: | Approximately 700 million m²/year |
| Scheduled start-up: | Successively from the first half of fiscal 2026 |
Regarding the investment, Hiroyoshi Matsuyama, Senior Executive Officer and President of the Environmental Solutions Strategic Business Unit at Asahi Kasei, mentioned: “Expanding Hipore™ operations globally to keep pace with the electric vehicle market is an important milestone for our separator business. We are happy to support the growth of our customers abroad, and with the help of our established global locations, we can do that quickly by investing in existing infrastructure and then expanding further with new greenfield sites as needed to meet regional demand.”
Asahi Kasei will continue investing to build its LIB separator supply infrastructure for automotive applications to meet growing demand, especially in North America where significant expansion of electric vehicle production is forecasted. The expansion announced today will raise Asahi Kasei’s coating capacity for LIB separators to approximately 1.2 billion m²/year, enabling the supply of coated separators for batteries equivalent to 1.7 million electric vehicles. This will contribute to building robust LIB supply chains in North America, Japan, and South Korea, with highly functional and durable wet-process separators for automotive applications. Asahi Kasei will continue to study proactive investments, including the establishment of new Hipore™ membrane manufacturing facilities to further enhance its supply infrastructure for the North American and Japanese markets.
¹ Including certain new structures and expansion of ancillary equipment
² The investment in Japan is certified by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry as a Project to Secure Rechargeable Battery Supply
³ Each within existing premises; Charlotte location within facilities of Celgard, LLC
About Asahi Kasei
The Asahi Kasei Group contributes to life and living for people around the world. Since its foundation in 1922 with ammonia and cellulose fiber businesses, Asahi Kasei has consistently grown through the proactive transformation of its business portfolio to meet the evolving needs of every age. With more than 46,000 employees around the world, the company contributes to a sustainable society by providing solutions to the world’s challenges through its three business sectors of Material, Homes, and Health Care. Its Materials sector, comprised of Environmental Solutions, Mobility & Industrial, and Life Innovation, includes a wide array of products from battery separators and biodegradable textiles to engineering plastics and sound solutions.
For more information, visit
www.asahi-kasei.com.
Asahi Kasei is also dedicated to sustainability initiatives and is contributing to reaching a carbon neutral society by 2050. To learn more, visit www.asahi-kasei.com/sustainability/.
Company Contact North America:
Asahi Kasei America Inc.
Christian Okeefe
christian.okeefe@ak-america.com
Company Contact Europe:
Asahi Kasei Europe GmbH
Sebastian Schmidt
Fringsstrasse 17, 40221 Düsseldorf
Tel: +49 (0) 211-3399-2058
E-mail: sebastian.schmidt@asahi-kasei.eu
www.asahi-kasei.eu