Pohang Plant with annual capacity of 30,000 tons begins full-scale operation three months ahead of schedule
On the 12th, Samsung SDI began shipping the initial quantity.
Mass production of high value-added high nickel anode materials such as NCM, NCMA, NCA
Pohang and Gwangyang will secure an annual production capacity of 248,500 tons of cathode materials by 2026.
POSCO Future M announced on the 13th that its Pohang NCA (nickel, cobalt, aluminum) cathode material factory has begun full operation. It is said that the first batch of cathode materials was shipped on the 12th.
The NCA cathode material produced at this plant is a high-nickel product with a nickel content of 88%, and its main raw materials include cobalt and aluminum in addition to nickel. It is used for high-performance electric vehicle batteries as it can increase battery energy density and output. The ordering party for this initial volume is Samsung SDI.
POSCO Future M signed a cathode material supply contract worth approximately 40 trillion won with Samsung SDI in January last year. We are supplying NCA cathode materials using some lines at the Gwangyang plant. In addition, in response to Samsung SDI’s request, the NCA cathode materials factory under construction in Pohang began operation this month, about three months ahead of schedule.
POSCO FutureM Pohang NCA cathode material factory has an annual production capacity of 30,000 tons. In Gwangyang, a dedicated NCA cathode material plant with an annual capacity of 52,500 tons is being built with the goal of completion next year. When both the Pohang and Gwangyang factories begin full operation, they will have an NCA cathode material production system with an annual production capacity of approximately 82,500 tons. The two factories plan to expand production of single-crystal cathode materials, for which demand is rapidly increasing as electric vehicles improve in performance. Single crystal anode materials can improve battery thermal stability and lifespan by combining raw materials into a single particle structure. High technical skills are required during the manufacturing process. In the case of POSCO Future M, it mass-produced NCMA (nickel, cobalt, manganese, aluminum) single crystal anode materials for the first time in Korea in March last year and also established a system for producing and supplying NCA single crystal cathode materials. It is evaluated that the company has secured its position as a leading company in the field by securing high value-added technology.
In addition, by establishing a mass production system for NCA cathode materials in addition to the NCM and NCMA cathode materials that we mainly produce, we have secured the ability to effectively respond to customer needs that are segmented as the electric vehicle market grows in the future. We can also expect improved profitability due to increased sales of high-nickel cathode materials, which are high value-added products.
A POSCO Future M official said, “The Pohang and Gwangyang factories will be reborn as core bases for targeting the global battery materials market,” and added, “We plan to expand production capacity step by step to stably respond to customer orders.”
By 2026, POSCO Future M will secure an annual production capacity of 106,000 tons in Pohang, including the NCA cathode materials plant to be completed this time, and complete a 1425,000-ton production plant in Gwangyang, producing a total of 248,500 tons per year. We plan to have large-scale cathode material production capacity.
Kim Min-beom, Donga.com reporter mbkim@donga.com