• Gyeongbuk-do, Pohang-si & POSCO Silicon Solution signed an Investment Agreement for Secondary Battery Silicon Anode Materials Plant

  KRW 300 Billion (USD 223 Million) Investment: A Silicon Anode Materials Plant Producing 5,000 Tons Per Year by 2025 Pohang City Cements Role as K-Battery Hub: Solidifies Reputation as the “Best for Secondary Battery Specialized Complex”   Gyeongsangbuk-do and Pohang City take significant steps to strengthen their position as Korean battery manufacturing hubs. On April 4, 2023, Gyeongsangbuk-do and Pohang City signed a large-scale investment agreement with POSCO Silicon Solution worth KRW 300 billion (USD 223 million) in the conference room at Pohang City Hall. Over 30 officials from government agencies, industries, schools, and research institutes attended the event, including prominent figures such as Lee Dal-hee, Deputy Governor of Economic Affairs of Gyeongsangbuk-do; Kim Nam-il, Deputy Mayor of Pohang; Yoo Byung-ok, Vice President of POSCO Holdings; Lee Jae-woo, CEO of POSCO Silicon Solution; Park Yong-sun, Vice Chairman of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Council; Baek In-gyu, Chairman of Pohang City Council; Kim Sang-woo, Director of Industry-Academic Cooperation at POSTECH; Kim Jong-rok, Executive Vice President of Handong University; Kim Hyung-rak, President of Pohang University; Kang Heung-sik, Director of Accelerator Research Institute; and Lee Jeom-sik, Director of Pohang Techno Park. POSCO Silicon Solution, a subsidiary of POSCO Holdings, intends to invest KRW 300 billion (USD 223 million) by 2025 in the Yeongil Bay Industrial Complex in order to establish a facility capable of producing 5,000 tons of silicon anode materials annually. This investment is anticipated to generate 170 new job opportunities. Silicon anode materials are emerging as the anode material of the future; boasting an energy density approximately 10 times higher than graphite anode materials currently utilized in lithium-ion batteries. These materials not only reduce charging times for electric vehicles but also enhance their driving range. The market share of silicon anode materials was only 1.2%, equivalent to 6,000 tons in 2020, but it is anticipated to rise sharply to approximately 320,000 tons by 2027, making up 10.1% of the entire anode materials market.  The annual growth rate for silicon-based anode materials from 2020 to 2027 is projected to be 76.6%, which is notably higher than other anode active materials. POSCO Group is establishing the world's first complete value chain for secondary battery materials. In July last year, the company acquired Tera Technos, a developer of silicon anode materials, and renamed it POSCO Silicon Solution. POSCO Silicon Solution will begin constructing the first phase of its silicon anode materials production facility in Yeongil Bay Industrial Complex in June, using the investment provided by POSCO Holdings. The company aims to commence the production and sale of silicon anode materials in earnest starting next year. Furthermore, POSCO Silicon Solution has outlined its investment plans for step-by-step expansion, including the procurement of production facilities capable of producing approximately 5,000 tons of silicon anode material annually by 2025. The company also aims to establish a production system that can manufacture roughly 25,000 tons of silicon anode material each year by 2030.   (ellipsis) Lee Dal-hee, the deputy governor of economic affairs in Gyeongsangbuk-do, expressed gratitude to Lee Jae-woo, CEO of POSCO Silicon Solution, for making a decision to invest KRW 300 billion (USD 223 million) during difficult times. She made her objections clear, saying “In the era of the fourth industrial revolution, Pohang, also known as the Iron City, is rapidly transforming into a city focused on the manufacture of batteries. With this investment in silicon anode material, Pohang is well-positioned to lead the secondary battery materials market and pave the way for next-generation batteries. Pohang will also concentrate its efforts on developing a specific secondary battery complex”. PolyNews reporter Kwon Taek-seok on April 4, 2023

  23.04.04
• POSCO Holdings to Invest KRW 59.1 Billion (USD 44.07 Million) in Silicon Anode Materials Production Facility

  Investing KRW 59.1 billion in POSCO Silicon Solution Constructing a 4.5-million-ton-per-year production facility in Pohang Graphic = Bizwatch   POSCO Holdings is making a significant investment in silicon anode materials, which are gaining attention as next-generation anode materials. On January 27, 2023, POSCO Holdings announced its decision to invest KRW 59.1 billion (USD 44.07 million) in POSCO Silicon Solution, a subsidiary with manufacturing expertise in silicon anode materials. POSCO Silicon Solution plans to commence construction of the first stage of a silicon cathode materials production facility with an annual capacity of 450 tons at the industrial complex in Yeongil Bay, Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea. Beginning in June, the aim is to complete construction by 2024. Silicon anode materials can achieve an energy density four times greater than the graphite anode materials currently used in lithium-ion batteries. These next-generation anode materials not only enhance the driving range of electric vehicles, but also reduce their charging time. Domestic and international battery manufacturers are striving to develop technology that increases the content of silicon anode material. The market size for silicon anode materials is projected to grow by 34% annually until 2030. The content of silicon anode material, currently below 5%, is expected to surpass 10% by 2025 and exceed 25% by 2030. POSCO Group, which is establishing the world's first complete value chain for secondary battery materials, acquired silicon anode materials developer Tera Technos in July of last year to advance the next-generation silicon anode materials business with the aim to diversify its anode materials business. After that, Tera Technos was renamed POSCO Silicon Solution. By 2030, POSCO Silicon Solution aims to produce 25,000 tons of silicon anode material annually. Upon completion of the silicon anode materials production facility investment, POSCO Group will have a comprehensive lineup in the field of anode materials, including natural graphite, artificial graphite, and silicon anode material. This will enable the POSCO group to achieve unparalleled global competitiveness in secondary battery material. A POSCO Holdings official stated, "POSCO Group will solidify its competitiveness in the existing cathode and anode materials markets by expanding its lithium and nickel raw materials business, and will continue to strengthen its competitiveness in the next-generation battery materials sector through ongoing investments in silicon anode materials, solid electrolytes, and lithium metals, etc." Bizwatch reporter Jung Jae-woong on January 27, 2023

  23.01.27
• POSCO Holdings Acquires 'Tera Technos', a Lithium-Ion Battery Anode Materials Manufacturer

  100% acquisition of Tera Technos's stake at approximately KRW 47.8 billion (USD 35.6 million) Choi Jeong-woo, Chairperson & CEO, POSCO Holdings   POSCO Holdings has secured management rights to Tera Technos, a lithium-ion secondary battery anode materials manufacturer. On July 1, 2022, Tera Science, the parent company of Tera Technos, announced the decision to transfer its stake in Tera Technos (3,320,956 shares) to POSCO Holdings for KRW 47.8 billion (USD 35.6 million). Tera Science stated that the acquisition aimed to enhance management efficiency and secure operating funds. Tera Technos is an R&D-focused company that produces high-performance silicon oxide anode materials for secondary batteries. It pioneers unique silicon oxide (SiOx) nanopowder manufacturing technology, developed by the Energy Technology Research Institute, a national research organization, in 2017. As Tera Technos is still in the R&D phase, its sales last year amounted to only KRW 3 million (USD 2,238), and the net loss for the current term was KRW 1.7 billion (USD 1.26 million). Given these figures, POSCO Holdings' acquisition is considered a future-focused investment, rather than a short-term profit. The acquisition of Tera Technos is viewed as part of POSCO Holdings' strategy to transform itself into a future-orientated materials company. In March 2022, POSCO Group led the materials expansion initiative, announcing plans to transform the group into an enterprise specializing in secondary battery materials like lithium and nickel, as well as eco-friendly materials of the future such as hydrogen, energy, and steel, in addition to food sources centered on its holding company, POSCO Holdings. Newsway reporter Lee Seung-yeon on July 01, 2022

  22.07.05