SKIET to supply battery separators for 300,000 EVs in North America
South Korea’s SK ie technology Co. (SKIET) announced Thursday that it will supply battery separator films – sufficient for 300,000 electric vehicles (EVs) – to a North American electric vehicle (EV) battery material company.
SKIET has begun new deliveries this month and plans to supply this volume of separator films through next year.
According to industry sources, the deal is estimated to be worth about 110 billion won ($75.7 million).
Battery separators are thin film materials positioned between the anode and cathode in lithium-ion batteries.
They prevent electrical contact while allowing lithium ions to pass through. The supplied film will undergo a coating process before reaching battery manufacturers.
Under the new contract, SKIET will supply only the base separator film, which will be coated by LG Chem Ltd.
LG Chem will then deliver the coated separators to LG Energy Solution Ltd.’s North American plants.
As LG Energy Solution plans to begin full-scale battery production in North America in the second half of 2025, this supply deal is viewed as part of efforts to secure necessary battery components ahead of time.
Although the deal involves a lower average selling price, it is expected to improve SKIET’s utilization rates and overall operational efficiency.
A company official., said:
Strong product quality and a price advantage stemming from U.S. tariffs on Chinese-made goods helped secure the deal,
While Chinese firms held an 88.8 percent share of the global separator market in the fourth quarter of last year, ongoing trade tensions between the U.S. and China are expected to shift more market share toward producers outside China.
In February, SKIET signed another long-term agreement worth 291.4 billion won to supply separators for prismatic lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries to a global client.
This marks the first supply deal between SK and LG since a high-profile legal dispute over battery technology that occurred around 2021.
Observers say the resurgence of cooperation between domestic battery makers was driven by growing concerns over the impact of U.S. tariffs introduced during the Trump administration.
The company official, said:
This contract is expected to boost both sales and production rates, paving the way for improved profitability,
READ the latest Batteries News shaping the battery market
SKIET to supply battery separators for 300,000 EVs in North America, source
