Polypore and SHEJ New Material Technology Co., Ltd. reached an agreement through their respective subsidiaries in January 2021 to establish a joint venture in China to produce dry-process lithium-ion battery separators. The necessary regulatory approval procedures for the joint venture have been completed and it has been established in Gao'an City, Jiangxi Province, People's Republic of China, named Jiangxi Enbo New Materials Co., Ltd.
Celgard® dry-coated and uncoated microporous film are used as separators for various lithium-ion batteries, which are mainly used in electric vehicles (EDV), energy storage systems (ESS) and other professional applications.
The joint venture uses the technology and intellectual property licenses related to dry-process polypropylene membranes granted by Celgard, LLC (Celgard), a subsidiary of Polypore, to produce and sell energy storage systems (ESS) and electric vehicles (EDV) in China. The high-quality, high-performance dry separator for lithium-ion batteries.
The company plans to start production in 2022, with a planned production capacity of 100 million square meters per year. In the joint venture, PPO Energy Storage Materials HK Ltd. holds 49% of the shares and Enjie holds 51% of the shares.
China has the world's largest and rapidly growing application market for electric vehicles and energy storage systems. Globally, many countries have also begun to implement corresponding carbon neutral policies. It is foreseeable that these application markets will grow rapidly in the future, and China is no exception. This new joint venture will use Celgard's advanced dry-process diaphragm technology, professional quality control methods and corresponding intellectual property rights, while combining Enjie's large-scale operation capabilities and distribution channels in China to seize this growing demand.
Celgard President Lie Shi said: "By combining Celgard's expertise in technology, process and materials science with Enjie's operating capabilities in China, the joint venture will not only provide customers with a wide range of solutions, but will also promote the entire lithium-ion battery industry. I am very pleased to establish this cooperative relationship with SHEJ. The combination of the advantages of our two companies will provide new solutions to global environmental and energy challenges."
Paul Xiaoming Lee, Chairman and CEO of SHEJ, added: “This joint venture allows us to seize the huge opportunities in the energy storage system market through the dry process diaphragm. Celgard has the most advanced technology and expertise, and Enjie has a wealth of Combining the operating experience and the past performance of mass production of high-quality diaphragms in a cost-competitive manner in China, this joint venture with Polypore will make us a revolutionary supplier of dry-process lithium-ion battery separators in China. "