Japan’s Asahi Kasei has announced the construction of an integrated lithium-ion battery separator production plant in Port Colborne, Ontario. The plant, named Asahi Kasei Battery Separator Canada, will start commercial production in 2027. Koshiro Kudo, President of Asahi Kasei, points out that:
“As demand for electric vehicles – and the lithium-ion batteries that power them – continues to grow, we look forward to establishing Canada’s first wet-process Hipore™ lithium-ion separator manufacturing facility. Backed by the abundant renewable resources, skilled talent and strong support of the local community here in Port Colborne, we will be able to better serve our partners in the region as well as the broader North American automotive market from this facility.”
Government investment and support
The initial project represents an investment of around JPY 180 billion (CAD 1.56 billion). Planned annual capacity is 700 million square meters of Hipore™ separators. In addition, the plant will benefit from the support of the Ontario provincial government via Invest Ontario. Added to a federal tax credit for investments in clean technologies. This shows governments’ commitment to supporting sustainable and innovative initiatives.
Impact and contributions of the plant
The new plant will create highly-skilled, well-paid jobs in manufacturing and construction. It will also strengthen North America’s ability to meet demand for components for electric vehicle batteries and other energy storage applications. Moreover, the separators manufactured will be among the most critical and sophisticated components of the lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles.
Asahi Kasei’s investment in Port Colborne is a step towards the advancement of the electric vehicle industry in North America. It also highlights the importance of innovation and international collaboration in the development of sustainable energy technologies.
