'Zero Fire' SK Inno Battery... The Unsung Hero is Subsidiary SKIET

[Asia Economy Reporter Park So-yeon] Amid the global controversy over electric vehicle fires, SK Innovation's batteries, which have not experienced a single fire incident, are gaining attention. Analysts suggest that SKIET, SK Innovation's battery materials subsidiary specializing in separator production, is contributing to strengthening the core competitiveness of battery safety.

According to industry sources on the 23rd, SKIET, SK Innovation's battery materials subsidiary, plans to expand its production capacity to 1.37 billion square meters by the end of next year. Currently, SKIET's production capacity stands at 530 million square meters. The company plans to complete its China plant by the end of this year and its Poland plant next year, doubling its production capacity. Additional expansion of the China plant is also planned.

In a situation where electric vehicle fires are occurring frequently worldwide, there has not been a single fire incident in the Niro, Kia's flagship electric vehicle supplied with batteries from SK Innovation. Consequently, the automotive and battery industries are paying close attention to SK Innovation's battery technology. Among these, interest in SKIET's separator technology has particularly increased. SKIET, which is responsible for the separator business at SK Innovation, maintains the industry's number one position in the cathode material ternary high-density nickel sector and ranks third globally in the separator business sector, based on safety.

Separators are the materials most directly related to battery safety, including fire prevention. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport recently identified separators as the cause of electric vehicle fires. Battery experts regard the fact that SK Innovation is the only global battery company to internalize separator production as a significant strength in determining automotive safety.

SK Group is also actively promoting the safety and durability of its batteries. The SK Inside strategy aims to encourage consumers purchasing vehicles to consider the battery manufacturer as a criterion for choosing a car model. An SK representative stated, "We emphasize not only battery performance but also prioritizing safety," adding, "This aspect is also attracting attention from the global automotive industry."

Another reason SK Innovation's batteries are gaining attention is their selection and concentration strategy focused on medium and large-sized batteries. Unlike other domestic battery companies such as LG Chem and Samsung SDI, which have built their growth foundation around small batteries from the early stages of their business with the backing of electronics subsidiaries within their groups, SK Innovation had no electronics subsidiary within its group, so it had no choice but to focus and concentrate.

SK Innovation chose medium and large-sized pouch-type batteries and has invested intensively in research and development. Since successfully developing lithium-ion batteries from research started in 1996, SK Innovation has applied only medium and large-sized pouch-type batteries since 2005. Therefore, unlike companies producing a wide variety of products, SK Innovation's focused R&D is analyzed to have prepared for all possible fire scenarios.

This kind of research and development and bold investment has been possible because SK Innovation has been preparing for the battery business for a long time. In 1982, SK Innovation set a vision as a comprehensive energy company and selected the battery business as a mid- to long-term growth sector, starting initial research at a laboratory established in 1985. Thanks to this research, in 1992, SK Innovation was selected as the lead institution for battery research in the electric vehicle field under the South Korean government's G7 project.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.