Asahi Kasei will increase production capacity for Hipore™ Li-ion battery (LIB) separator at its plant in Hyuga, Miyazaki, Japan.
Rapid growth of the LIB market is primarily driven by automotive applications due to increasing demand for electric-drive vehicles. Supplying both wet-process and dry-process separators with its Hipore™ and Celgard™ products, Asahi Kasei holds a world-leading position as an lithium ion battery separator manufacturer.
Asahi Kasei has been proactively expanding its environmentally friendly lithium ion battery separator business with wet-process manufacturing plants located in Japan (Moriyama, Shiga, and Hyuga, Miyazaki) and dry-process manufacturing plants located in the US (North Carolina).
Outline of the new capacity expansion
- Product: Hipore™ LIB separator (wet process)
- Location: Hyuga, Miyazaki, Japan (within existing plant grounds)
- Investment: ≈¥30 billion
- Production capacity: ≈350 million m2/year
- Start-up: First half of fiscal 2023 (scheduled)
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Upon completion, this expansion will raise wet-process capacity to 1.35 billion m2/year and total capacity to 1.9 billion m2/year combined with 550 million m2/year in dry-process capacity. In accordance with forthcoming demand trends, Asahi Kasei will continue to increase its LIB separator capacity to meet the growing needs of customers.
* 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.
Asahi Kasei to increase production capacity for LIB separator, March 25,2021
