Asahi Kasei’s Bold Move: Bringing Lithium-Ion Battery Separator Plant to Canada

As the world shifts towards a more sustainable future, the demand for electric vehicles (EVs) continues to rise. And with it, the need for high-quality lithium-ion batteries that power these eco-friendly rides. In a significant move, Asahi Kasei, a Japanese corporation, has announced its plans to construct an integrated lithium-ion battery separator plant in Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada.

Asahi Kasei’s new plant in Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada

This new manufacturing facility, operating as Asahi Kasei Battery Separator Canada, is expected to create highly skilled, well-paying jobs in manufacturing and construction. The start of commercial production is slated for 2027, and I couldn’t be more excited about the prospects of this development.

“As demand for electric vehicles – and the lithium-ion batteries that power them – continues to rise, we are eager to bring the first Hipore wet-process lithium-ion separator manufacturing facility to Canada.” - Koshiro Kudo, President & Representative Director of Asahi Kasei Corporation

The Hipore wet-process separators to be produced at the Port Colborne facility are among the most highly engineered and critical components of lithium-ion batteries used in EVs and other energy storage applications. This is a significant investment, with an initial outlay of approximately 180 billion JPY (CAD$ 1.56 billion) to install approximately 700 million square meters of annual Hipore separator capacity.

Asahi Kasei’s Hipore separator, a critical component of lithium-ion batteries

The Ontario government, through its investment attraction agency, Invest Ontario, and the federal government’s new Clean Technology Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit (ITC), will provide support for the project. This is a testament to the Canadian government’s commitment to fostering a clean technology ecosystem.

Asahi Kasei, a pioneer in battery-related technology, has over 100 years of manufacturing experience. Its Energy Storage business is built around the lithium-ion battery separator, a microporous membrane that provides a barrier between the positive and negative electrodes of the battery, preventing short circuits while allowing lithium ions to pass from one side of the battery to the other.

Asahi Kasei’s Energy Storage business, a pioneer in battery-related technology

This development is a significant step forward for Canada’s clean technology sector, and I’m thrilled to see Asahi Kasei taking the lead. As we continue to navigate the complexities of climate change, investments like these will be crucial in driving innovation and reducing our carbon footprint.