Enchem’s first electrolyte manufacturing plant in the United States is set to start operation in September. As LG Energy Solution and SK Innovation have been very active in establishing a SCM (supply chain management) for key battery materials in order to increase battery production in the United States, Enchem decided to build an electrolyte plant nearby their battery manufacturing plants. By building plants in Europe, China, and U.S., Enchem looks become the top electrolyte supplier in the world.
The company is planning to operate its electrolyte manufacturing plant in Georgia this September. Its Georgia plant is its first manufacturing plant in the United States and is reported to have annual production capacity of 20,000 tons.
Once the company operates the Georgia plant, it will then have the biggest production capacity out of all electrolyte suppliers. Electrolyte is one of the four key materials of a battery. Enchem has secured a product line that ranges from high-priced electrolyte to low-priced electrolyte and is used for pouch-type, cylindrical, and prismatic batteries. It has also developed an additive supplementation technology for production of electrolytes for cathode materials and anode materials.
When Enchem’s Georgia plant is in operation, the company will have an annual production capacity of 85,000 tons that also come from South Korea (25,000 tons), Europe (20,000 tons), and China (20,000 tons). It is reported that Tianqi, which is based in China and is currently the top electrolyte supplier in the world, has an annual production capacity of 60,000 tons. Tianqi supplies its electrolytes mainly to companies such as BYD and others that are from its own country.
Electrolytes made through Enchem’s Georgia plant will be used for electric vehicle batteries made by LG Energy Solution and SK Innovation in the United States. LG and SK currently operate electric vehicle battery manufacturing plants in Michigan and Georgia respectively. The United States is strengthening supply chains of key battery materials in addition to battery itself for production of electric vehicles.
Enchem is also working on securing additional customers from foreign countries. Panasonic that supplies electric vehicle batteries to Tesla is also its target. It is reported that Panasonic plans to increase its battery production capacity by expanding a battery manufacturing plant in Nevada that it built with Tesla. A representative from Enchem said on Monday that the company plans to actively target battery materials markets in Europe, China, and U.S. by operating the Georgia plant.
Staff Reporter Kim, Jiwoong | jw0316@etnews.com