Toray Industries, Inc. has decided to set up a production facility for battery separator film (BSF) for use in lithium-ion batteries (LiBs) in Nyergesújfalu, Hungary.
The new production facility will be located at Toray Industries Hungary Kft. (THU), which was established in April 2018, and will increase the Toray Group’s total BSF production capacity by approximately 20%. The new facility is schedule to begin operations in July 2021.
The Toray Group already has BSF production facilities at the Nasu Plant in Japan and in Korea where Toray Battery Separator Film Korea Limited (TBSK) is engaged in the development, production and sales of BSF, while Toray BSF Coating Korea Limited (TBCK) handles coating processes. In 2017, Toray announced capital investments to expand the capacities of these two locations, and new lines were started up in fiscal 2018.
Global demand for BSF is projected to expand rapidly, given steady expansionary trends in consumer applications such as mobile electronics and energy storage systems, as well as anticipated robust increase in automotive applications as electric vehicles become more popular. Particularly in Europe, where environmental awareness is increasing, it is anticipated that eco-friendly electric vehicles will rapidly come into widespread use, and battery manufacturers are also actively entering the European markets.
Toray has taken the basic strategic approach of “local production for local consumption” in its overseas business. By locating production facilities in areas close to customers, Toray aims to meet growing demand and contribute to the economic development of local regions and communities.
In the Project AP-G 2019 Medium-term Management Program that Toray is currently implementing, one of the basic goals of the Films Business is “Expand business by expansion of high value-added products in growth business fields and maximum utilization of global bases”. The expansion of BSF business is positioned has the greatest priority within this business domain.
The Toray Group is endeavoring to secure the leading position in the global market for BSF. Under its corporate philosophy, “Contributing to society through the creation of new values with innovative ideas, technologies and products,” the Toray Group is responding actively to growing demand for BSF, which is a primary component of LiB, seeking thereby to contribute to efforts to reduce environmental impact.