14 March 2019
DETAILS
Asahi Kasei will enhance its manufacturing infrastructure
for Li-ion battery (LIB) separator* as described below,
with completion scheduled for the first half of fiscal 2021.
Rapid growth of the LIB market is primarily driven
by automotive applications due to
increasing demand for electric-drive vehicles and
by energy storage systems (ESS)
due to greater adoption of renewable power sources.
the world’s leading LIB separator manufacturer,
supplying both wet-process and dry-process separators
with its Hipore™ and Celgard™ products,
has been proactively expanding this business.
Outline of the manufacturing infrastructure enhancement
1) New capacity expansion
- Location
- Moriyama, Shiga, Japan, and
- North Carolina, the US (within existing plant grounds)
- Investment ≈¥30 billion
- Start-up First half of fiscal 2021 (scheduled)
2) Rationalization and productivity improvements
Streamlining and consolidation
of existing production facilities and product grades
These measures will result in
a 300 million m2/year rise in wet-process capacity and
a 150 million m2/year rise in dry-process capacity,
for a total increase of 450 million m2/year.
Asahi Kasei’s total LIB separator capacity
will be 730 million m2/year at the end of fiscal 2018,
including
wet-process capacity of 410 million m2/year and
dry-process capacity of 320 million m2/year.
Plant expansions currently in progress
will raise total capacity to
1.1 billion m2/year upon completion in fiscal 2020, with
wet-process capacity increasing to 700 million m2/year and
dry-process capacity increasing to 400 million m2/year.
Completion of the measures announced today
will further raise Asahi Kasei’s total LIB separator capacity
to 1.55 billion m2/year in fiscal 2021, with
wet-process capacity increasing to 1 billion m2/year and
dry-process capacity increasing to 550 million m2/year.
In accordance with forthcoming demand trends,
Asahi Kasei intends to raise its total LIB separator capacity,
including both wet and dry processes,
to 3 billion m2/year around 2025
in order to meet the growing needs of customers.
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Li-ion battery (LIB) separator*
A thin microporous film of polyolefin placed
between the cathode and anode of lithium-ion batteries.
It prevents contact between the electrodes
which would cause a short, while allowing
lithium ions to pass between the electrodes.
WWW.CHEMWINFO.COM BY KHUN PHICHAI
