Asahi Kasei opens Hipore wet-process separator coating line in Charlotte, NC
- Grand opening held Aug 20 for a Hipore™ wet-process lithium‑ion separator coating line at Celgard’s Charlotte site.
- Investment decision made in 2023; commercial production is scheduled for the second half of fiscal 2026.
- The Charlotte Celgard facility marks its 40th year, having produced dry‑process separators in the U.S. since 1986.
- Toyota Tsusho has a capacity rights agreement related to the facility, and construction of a Canadian wet‑process separator plant is progressing.
Project and timeline
Asahi Kasei held a grand opening on August 20 for a Hipore™ wet‑process lithium‑ion battery separator coating line at its Celgard manufacturing facility in Charlotte, North Carolina. The investment decision was made in 2023 and commercial production is scheduled to begin in the second half of fiscal 2026.
Strategic rationale
The Charlotte coating line is the first step toward a regional supply structure for wet‑process separators, expanding the site’s portfolio from established dry‑process separators to include Hipore™ wet‑process technology. Asahi Kasei cites expected North American demand growth beyond electric vehicles, driven in part by energy storage systems, as a key market driver.
Regional supply and partnerships
The ribbon‑cutting coincided with the Celgard facility’s 40th anniversary (producing dry‑process separators since 1986). Toyota Tsusho Corporation has entered a capacity rights agreement related to the facility, and a separate wet‑process separator plant in Canada is under construction to strengthen the North American supply framework.
Source: Asahi Kasei
