Asahi Kasei Corp. (Tokyo, Japan) held a grand opening ceremony on August 20 for its new Hipore™ wet-process lithium-ion battery separator coating line in Charlotte, North Carolina, marking a significant milestone in the execution of the company’s North American battery separator strategy. The investment expands production capacity at the company’s existing Celgard® manufacturing facility, establishing North America-based coating and supply capabilities for its wet-process separator technology.
The facility represents the first step toward establishing a regional supply structure for wet-process separators. The investment decision was made in 2023, and commercial production is scheduled to begin in the second half of fiscal 2026. The grand opening coincided with the 40th anniversary of the Celgard® manufacturing facility in Charlotte, which has been producing dry-process separators in the United States since 1986. The ceremony brought together local government officials, representatives of Toyota Tsusho Corp. (Nagoya, Japan), which has entered into a capacity rights agreement related to the facility, and other stakeholders who supported the project’s development.
The investment comes as North American battery demand is expected to expand beyond electric vehicles, supported by the increasing deployment of energy storage systems. Although the separator market remains competitive, improving regional market conditions are creating opportunities for suppliers with localized production and responsive supply capabilities.
“Opening the Charlotte coating line is a key milestone in establishing our North American supply platform for battery separators,” said Ryu Taniguchi, President of Asahi Kasei Battery Separator Corp. “By leveraging Celgard’s experienced workforce and established operations, we are expanding our North American product portfolio to include both Celgard® dry-process and Hipore™ wet-process technologies. Together with our planned separator facility in Canada, this investment will bring production capabilities closer to the region’s battery market and position Asahi Kasei to swiftly respond as demand grows across electric vehicles and energy storage systems.”
Construction of Asahi Kasei’s wet-process separator facility in Canada is also progressing according to plan. Together, the Charlotte coating line and the Canadian plant will establish a regional supply framework for wet-process separators, strengthening the company’s manufacturing presence and market position in North America.