Evonik, a global leader in silica manufacturing, has announced an investment in the expansion of its production plant for fumed aluminum oxide in Yokkaichi, Japan.
The expansion, which is set to become operational in 2025, will be the company’s first alumina plant in Asia and will focus on the production of specialty solutions for lithium-ion battery technologies used in electric vehicles.
The investment, supported by funds from the Japanese government, will cost a mid-double-digit million Euro amount, with construction starting in the summer of 2023.
The move is part of Evonik’s strategic transformation to invest in green growth and make sustainability a core innovation driver, with the aim of investing more than €3 billion in Next Generation Solutions by 2030.
Lauren Kjeldsen, President of the Smart Material Division, said, “One of these [Next Generation Solutions] is our solutions for battery technologies for electric vehicles, coming from the Smart Materials Division. By the investment in this Next Generation Solutions, Evonik supports the battery industry and customer growth particularly in Asia by providing more sustainable and highly-innovative solutions.”
Emmanuel Auer, Head of Business Line Silica, added that Evonik’s focus is on providing lithium-ion battery customers access to improved performance and next-level safety properties, with AEROXIDE® aluminum oxide for ultra-thin separator coatings for next-generation lithium-ion batteries enabling longer mileage for electric vehicles, improving safe usage and fast charging of batteries, providing more durable operation, and contributing to higher energy density.
With the growing region for new generations of batteries in electric vehicles and powder coating being Asia, Susanne Reinhart, Regional Head APAC of Business Line Silica, stated that “With this expansion investment, we further commit to accelerated growth in the lithium-ion-battery market and secure regional supply for all customers located in the fast-growing battery markets of China, Japan, and Korea.”
The Yokkaichi team has over 50 years of experience in fumed oxide production processes and has been operating as a Joint Venture of Evonik and Mitsubishi Materials Corporation. The facility in Japan was identified as a viable and safe location, with favorable logistics to the markets of China, Japan, and Korea, underlining Evonik’s commitment to Japan and ensuring high supply reliability to Asia. The fumed aluminum oxide production expansion is part of a network of eight fumed oxide production sites globally and a key milestone of the strategic growth plan on specialty applications.