A strategic alliance has been formed between Toyota Tsusho and Asahi Kasei, a diversified global manufacturer, to offer vehicle lithium-ion battery (LIB) separators in North America. Asahi Kasei Battery Separator America, LLC (AKBSA) and Toyota Tsusho America, Inc. (TAI), their respective U.S. subsidiaries, have reached an agreement on capacity rights for AKBSA to provide TAI with Hipore™ wet-process LIB separator.
TAI is entitled to a preferential portion of AKBSA’s Hipore™ LIB separator production capacity under the terms of the agreement. AKBSA will start providing coated Hipore™ separator to TAI in the middle of 2027 from its new coating facility, which is currently under construction in Charlotte, North Carolina.
By maintaining high operating rates, this cooperation enables Asahi Kasei to efficiently use resources and reduce the risk of market volatility. As it encourages the development of a North American car battery supply chain, Toyota Tsusho will profit from a consistent supply of LIB separators produced at the Charlotte facility.
The agreement will expedite the adoption of premium wet-process separators in the North American battery market and enable the production of higher-performance electric vehicles by fusing Toyota Tsusho’s mobility experience with Asahi Kasei’s functional materials strengths.
“This alliance fits perfectly with Asahi Kasei’s global growth strategy to build and strengthen a supply chain in North America with our partners and to capture medium- to long-term growth opportunities in the electrified vehicle market,” stated Ryu Taniguchi, Lead Executive Officer of Asahi Kasei and responsible for the company’s separator business. “As a supplier of high-quality LIB separator, in partnership with Toyota Tsusho we will build an ecosystem that supports electrification in North America and leads the way to a carbon-neutral future.”
Kazuyuki Urata, COO of Toyota Tsusho’s Circular Economy Division, attached, “This collaboration with Asahi Kasei is an important step toward the acceleration of electrification in North America and the realization of a sustainable mobility society. Toyota Tsusho will leverage its global network and expertise in the mobility field to build a highly reliable automotive LIB supply chain, thereby creating a foundation to support the spread of electrified vehicles and the reduction of their environmental impact.”
Asahi Kasei announced intentions in May 2024 to build a battery separator factory in Canada to meet the increasing demand in North America. With an emphasis on growing the Hipore™ wet-process separator in North America, Asahi Kasei’s separator business is positioned for Growth Potential in its medium-term management plan. The company will be able to continue expanding its footprint in the expanding North American battery ecosystem by developing the Canadian facility in addition to its U.S. factories.
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