Asahi Kasei held a grand opening ceremony on August 20 for its new Hipore™ wet-process lithium-ion battery separator coating line in Charlotte, North Carolina. The project marks a significant step in the company’s North American battery separator strategy and expands production capacity at its existing Celgard® manufacturing facility. The new line establishes North America-based coating and supply capabilities for Asahi Kasei’s wet-process separator technology.
The Charlotte facility is intended to be the first step toward building a regional supply structure for wet-process separators. Asahi Kasei decided to make the investment in 2023, and commercial production is scheduled to begin in the second half of fiscal 2026.
The grand opening also marked the 40th anniversary of the Celgard manufacturing facility in Charlotte. The site has produced dry-process separators in the United States since 1986. The ceremony included local government officials, representatives of Toyota Tsusho Corporation, and other stakeholders involved in the project’s development. Toyota Tsusho has entered into a capacity rights agreement related to the facility.
Asahi Kasei said the investment comes as battery demand in North America is expected to grow beyond electric vehicles, supported by wider deployment of energy storage systems. While the separator market remains highly competitive, the company said regional market conditions are improving for suppliers that can offer localized production and responsive supply capabilities.
Ryu Taniguchi, President of Asahi Kasei Battery Separator Corporation, said the Charlotte coating line is a key milestone in establishing a North American supply platform for battery separators. He added that the company plans to leverage Celgard’s experienced workforce and established operations to expand its North American product portfolio to include both Celgard® dry-process and Hipore™ wet-process technologies. He also said the planned separator facility in Canada, together with the Charlotte line, will bring production closer to regional battery customers and help Asahi Kasei 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 as planned. Together, the Charlotte coating line and the Canadian plant are expected to strengthen the company’s manufacturing presence and market position in North America. The investments support Asahi Kasei’s broader growth strategy for Energy & Infrastructure under its medium-term management plan.
Source: Asahi Kasei
