Pokem's 'High-Nickel Cathode Material' Technology Export Approved by Government... "Canada and China Lead"

Nickel Content Exceeds 80%... Export Approval
Technology to Extend Electric Vehicle Driving Range

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seoyoon] POSCO Chemical has opened the way to utilize its cathode material national core technology at overseas production bases.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy recently held the Industrial Technology Protection Committee and approved the export of POSCO Chemical's national core technology, "Design, manufacturing, and process technology of cathode materials with nickel content exceeding 80%." The technology for manufacturing cathode materials with a high nickel ratio is a key technology that can increase the driving range of electric vehicles. The Industrial Technology Protection Committee comprehensively considered POSCO Chemical's technology protection level, the impact on the battery industry, and the national economy to decide on the approval.

National core technology refers to technologies with very high technological and economic value and high industrial growth potential, for which the government requires strict security conditions when exporting. To utilize such technology at overseas factories, approval from the Industrial Technology Protection Committee is required under the "Act on the Prevention and Protection of Industrial Technology Leakage." The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy designates and publicly announces 75 technologies in 13 fields including semiconductors, electrical and electronics, and steel as national core technologies.

Battery raw material and component samples and cylindrical battery photos (from left) Lithium, cylindrical battery, nickel, cathode material, cobalt. [Photo by POSCO Chemical]

POSCO Chemical is actively expanding mass production capacity at regional bases in North America, Europe, and China through joint partnerships with global automakers and raw material companies. This is to proactively respond to the rapidly growing electric vehicle market and the strengthening of protectionism by country.

With this approval, POSCO Chemical has laid the groundwork to mass-produce high-nickel cathode materials, a key material for high-performance electric vehicle batteries, at its overseas cathode material production subsidiaries, Canada’s Ultium CAM and China’s Zhejiang Pohua, and to secure market leadership. The experience accumulated through this approval is expected to help future business expansion in overseas regions beyond North America and China.

Ultium CAM, a joint venture between POSCO Chemical and GM, plans to complete a high-nickel cathode material plant with an annual capacity of 30,000 tons in Quebec, Canada, by June 2024 and start mass production in the first half of 2025. Zhejiang Pohua, a joint venture with Chinese cobalt company Huayou Cobalt, is investing to expand its cathode material production capacity from the current 5,000 tons per year to 35,000 tons. Starting June 2024, it will mass-produce an additional 20,000 tons, and from June the following year, an additional 10,000 tons.

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