Jul, 2017, the British Government stated that, the country would stop sales of fuel vehicles from 2040 to reduce air pollution. Britain has become another country which joins the row of forbidding sales of fuel vehicles after Netherland, Norway, Germany and France. Meanwhile, part of traditional fuel vehicle enterprises, like Volvo, announced that it would no longer promote fuel vehicles from 2019. Under this trend, global LIB tycoons all largely distribute / enlarge LIB capacity. Global LIB separator industry is also actively expanding capacity to cope with future requirement.
ASIACHEM ‘China LIB Separator Annual Report 2017’ shows that, global LIB separator enterprises which have the largest market shares are Japan Asahi Kasei, Japan Toray, South Korea SKI and South Korea W-Scope. Among, first three enterprises’ 2016 market share reaches 57% of the world. Shenzhen Senior ranked No.5 with 6% market share; Both Zhongke Science & Technology and Cangzhou Mingzhu ranked No.6 with 5% market share each. Capacity layouts of these enterprises from 2016 to 2017 are as below.
Japan Asahi Kasei
Mar, 2017, Japan Asahi Kasei announced that, it would invest JPY 15bn to construction 200Mm2/a wet process separator in the first half of fiscal 2019. Upon completion of the new production line, Asahi Kasei’s total LIB separator capacity will increase to 8.6Mm2/a, with wet process capacity being 6.1Mm2/a
Japan Toray
Japan Toray doubled its in Korea’s LIB capacity in fiscal 2016. News reported in Jul 2017, the company plans to construct a LIB separator factory which capacity is 80Mm2/a in Germany or East Europe. The factory is estimated to finish construction in 2019. Besides, considering headquarters of Tesla is in the US, the company also considers to construct factory in the US.
South Korea W-Scope
Sep, 2016, South Korea W-Scope announced that, it would total invest USD 30M to new construct coating separator production line in its South Korea factory. Among, project Phase-1 plans to invest KRW 15bn, to construct 2 coating separator production line etc. and scheduled to reach volume production in Q2, 2017.
Public information shows that, it is estimated that, South Korea W-Scope capacity will reach 300Mm2/a by the end of 2018.
Shenzhen Senior
Mar, 2017, Shenzhen Senior released announcement, that the company signed investment cooperation agreement with Jiangsu Changzhou Economic Development Zone. According to the agreement, the company plans to set up a new company holding by the company in Jiangsu Changzhou Economic Development Zone, and the new company will invest CNY 1.6bn to construct 360Mm2/a LIB separator project. The project has started construction in Jun, 2017.
Jun, 2017, Shenzhen Senior stated that, 50Mm2/a dry process separator production line, which is new increased in 2017 in Shenzhen Headquarters South China Base, has operation.
Oct, 2015, Guoxuan High Tech and Shenzhen Senior reached cooperation agreement on investing CNY 3bn to construct 500Mm2/a separator production line project in Lujiang, Hefei. It is reported that, the project Phase-1 capacity is 80Mm2/a and operation in Jul, 2017.
Shanghai Energy
Oct, 2016, Zhuhai Economic and Technological Development Administration Committee signed LIB separator South China Base Project investment agreement with Shanghai Energy New Materials Technology. Shanghai Energy will total invest about CNY 2bn, to construct separator production lines and coating production lines in Gaolangang Equipment Manufacturing Zone. Among, Phase-1 total investment is CNY 1.28bn, to construct 7 separator production lines. Phase-2 will construct 3-6 separator production lines. Meanwhile, 29 supporting coating production lines are planned to construct.
May, 2017, Yunnan Chuangxin New Material released announcement that, the company plans to total contribute CNY 5.55bn, to purchase Shanghai Energy 100% share. Meanwhile, the company will raise no more than CNY 800M matching funds to Zhuhai Energy Separator Phase-1 5 wet process separator production lines’ construction and payment of transaction costs.
Zhongke Science & Technology
Zhongke Science & Technology currently has 13 dry process LIB separator production lines and capacity is 160Mm2/a; 1 wet process LIB separator production line and capacity is 20Mm2/a; 1 evaporation LIB separator production line and capacity is 40Mm2/a; 13 coating lines and capacity is 80Mm2/a.
Jul, 2017, Lucky Film signed share transfer framework agreement with Xinxiang Zhongsheng Industrial Co. Ltd., plans to purchase share of Xinxiang Zhongke Science and Technology holds by the latter. After acquisition is completed, Zhongke Science and Technology will become holding subsidiary of Lucky Film.
Cangzhou Mingzhu
Jul, 2017, Cangzhou Mingzhu released announcement that, the company 60Mm2/a wet process LIB separator project has completed and operation according to project implementation plan. Meanwhile, relevant devices of first production line of 105Mm2/a wet process LIB separator project, which invested and constructed by Cangzhou Mingzhu LIB Separator Co., holding subsidiary of the company, have finished debugging and finished trial production and put into operation, while the rest 2 production lines are still under implementation according to project plan.
ASIACHEM ‘China LIB Separator Annual Report 2017’ shows that, to 2020, if 70% of all China separator enterprises’ planning / construction projects put into operation, then global (China included) LIB separator capacity is estimated to reach 13bnm2/a. In 2016, global LIB output was 108.3GWh, year on year increase 22.1%. If increase speed stays at 20%, then global LIB output is estimated to be 224.6GWh in 2020, corresponding LIB consumption is about 4.492bnm2/a.
