Groundbreaking ceremony for Asahi Kasei’s battery separator plant in Canada
The new production facility is intended to help improve the North American supply chain for batteries and electric cars. The separators for lithium-ion batteries produced there will primarily be used in electric cars, which are to be manufactured in a new electric car factory that Honda is also currently building in the Ontario region. To this end, Honda and Asahi Kasei have also decided to establish a joint venture to operate the separator factory.
The plant is expected to commence commercial production in 2027, subject to approvals and authorisations from the relevant authorities. The factory, which is expected to create around 300 full-time jobs, will have an annual production capacity of around 700 million square metres of coated lithium-ion battery separators.
“This facility signifies a bold step in advancing innovation in battery technology,” said Koshiro Kudo, President and Representative Director of Asahi Kasei Corporation. “We are establishing a center of excellence here in Port Colborne that will further position Asahi Kasei as a leader in meeting the growing demand for electric vehicle battery separators across North America, helping drive the energy transition forward with cutting-edge technology.”
The construction of the plant in Port Colborne is expected to cost the equivalent of around one billion euros, as was announced when the construction plans were presented in April. It will be Canada’s first large-scale plant for the production of wet separators. These play a crucial role in lithium-ion batteries, as they separate the anode from the cathode and prevent short circuits in the event of malfunctions. They also enable a higher energy density and a longer service life for batteries – important factors for the spread of electric vehicles and energy storage systems.
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