Showa Denko K.K. (SDK) has decided to expand its production capacities for materials used in lithium-ion rechargeable batteries (LIBs), namely, artificial-graphite-based anode material (SCMG(TM)), additive in anodes and cathodes (VGCF(TM)), and aluminum laminated films for packaging.
SDK will expand the capacity of its SCMG plant at Omachi, Nagano Prefecture, by stages from 1,000 t/y at present to 3,000 t/y by the middle of 2012 through debottlenecking of respective processes, including crushing.
As for VGCF, SDK will add a new production line at its Kawasaki Plant, Kanagawa Prefecture, increasing the production capacity from 100 t/y at present to 200 t/y by the beginning of 2012.
Furthermore, SDK's subsidiary Showa Denko Packaging Co., Ltd. will expand its aluminum laminated film production capacity at its Hikone Plant, Shiga Prefecture, by 50% by the end of 2011 through addition of a new dry laminator.
Demand for environment-friendly electric vehicles and hybrid cars is growing due to the need to curb emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases and to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Furthermore, storage batteries for industrial and household applications have been attracting attention since the rolling blackouts that followed the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake. Thus, demand for large LIBs for automotive and storage battery applications is expected to grow rapidly in and after 2013. SDK has therefore decided to increase its production capacities for SCMG and VGCF, which contribute toward increasing the capacity and extending the life of LIBs.
Furthermore, demand for small LIBs used in notebook PCs and mobile phones is expected to rise, reflecting the growth of smart phones and tablet-type devices. Thus, SDK has decided to expand its production capacity for aluminum laminated film for LIB packaging, which contributes toward miniaturization of LIBs. SDK will also aim to broaden the application of this packaging material into LIBs for environment-friendly cars in view of its advantages of compactness and high heat dissipation.