Ube Industries to Expand Production Capacity of Lithium-Ion Battery Separators

TOKYO, September 15, 2015 _ Ube Industries, Ltd. announced today that it has decided to expand its production capacity for lithium-ion battery separators by rebuilding existing facilities at its Ube Chemical Factory (Ube City, Yamaguchi Prefecture) while also establishing new production facilities for separators at Sakai Factory (Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture). The Company is taking these actions in response to growing demand for separators for automotive-use lithium-ion batteries.

東京，2015年9月15日_宇部興產(chǎn)有限公司今天宣布，公司正采取行動(dòng)以應(yīng)對(duì)不斷增長(zhǎng)的汽車用鋰離子電池隔膜市場(chǎng)需求，公司已決定擴(kuò)大現(xiàn)有宇部化工廠鋰離子電池隔膜產(chǎn)能，同時(shí)在酒井法子(酒井法子城市大阪縣)建立新的生產(chǎn)工廠。

Ube Industries began manufacturing separators at the Ube Chemical Factory in 1994. It has gradually increased production capacity at the site in line with the expanding market for lithium-ion batteries. The Company also started production of separators at Sakai Factory in 2013. With these two factories in Japan, the Company has delivered a stable supply of products while responding to growing demand.

宇部興產(chǎn)1994年開(kāi)始制造鋰電池隔膜，逐漸增加現(xiàn)場(chǎng)生產(chǎn)能力以適應(yīng)鋰電池市場(chǎng)擴(kuò)張。公司于2013年在酒井法子開(kāi)始生產(chǎn)隔膜。這兩個(gè)工廠在日本，公司推出穩(wěn)定供應(yīng)的產(chǎn)品，應(yīng)對(duì)日益增長(zhǎng)的需求。

Demand for lithium-ion batteries used in automotive applications is projected to increase greatly, especially for hybrid vehicles (HVs), plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHVs), and electric vehicles (EVs). Likewise, further advances in the development of lithium-ion batteries for electricity storage and industrial applications are expected in the future.

   鋰離子電池在汽車市場(chǎng)需求方面的應(yīng)用預(yù)計(jì)將大大增加，特別是對(duì)于混合動(dòng)力汽車(HVs)，插電式混合動(dòng)力車(PHVs)和電動(dòng)車(EVs)。同樣，未來(lái)鋰離子電池將廣泛應(yīng)用于電力存儲(chǔ)和工業(yè)應(yīng)用。

Ube Industries' separator products are manufactured using a unique dry process, and they are already used widely in automotive applications. In 2011, the Company established Ube Maxell Co., Ltd. (Otokuni-gun, Kyoto Prefecture), a joint venture with Hitachi Maxell, Ltd. By combining the advanced technological expertise of the two founding companies, Ube Maxell manufactures high-performance coated separator films with diverse functions, including excellent reliability. Ube Maxell has also steadily increased its sales volume by taking advantage of market growth in and outside of Japan.

日本宇部興產(chǎn)的隔膜產(chǎn)品，制造時(shí)運(yùn)用獨(dú)特的干燥過(guò)程，產(chǎn)品已廣泛應(yīng)用在汽車領(lǐng)域。2011年，該公司成立了宇部萬(wàn)勝有限公司(Otokuni-gun、京都縣)，與日立萬(wàn)勝合資有限公司通過(guò)合并兩個(gè)創(chuàng)始公司的先進(jìn)技術(shù)經(jīng)驗(yàn)，宇部萬(wàn)勝?gòu)亩a(chǎn)出的高性能涂層隔膜，具有不同的功能，以及優(yōu)秀的可靠性。宇部萬(wàn)勝也穩(wěn)步增加對(duì)日本以外的市場(chǎng)供應(yīng)。

As the first phase in its new plan to expand production capacity, Ube Industries will rebuild its existing facilities at the Ube Chemical Factory, a project which is scheduled for completion in July 2016. Following that, as the second phase of the plan, the Company will establish new production facilities at the Sakai Factory, a project which is scheduled for completion in June 2017. This two-phase expansion will increase the combined production capacity of the factories to 200 million square meters of separator film, about 40% more than the current level. By boosting production capacity, Ube Industries will be able to respond to growing demand for separators in a timely manner, establish a solid presence in this expanding market, and further lead market growth. The Company will also consider gradually increasing production capacity to 300 million square meters by around 2020, about double the current level.

   作為第一階段的產(chǎn)能擴(kuò)張，宇部計(jì)劃重建其現(xiàn)有設(shè)備的宇部化學(xué)工廠，預(yù)計(jì)2016年7月完成。計(jì)劃的第二階段，該公司將在酒井法子工廠建立新的生產(chǎn)線，預(yù)計(jì)2017年6月落成。這兩階段的產(chǎn)能擴(kuò)張將會(huì)增加工廠的綜合生產(chǎn)能力，隔膜產(chǎn)能達(dá)到2億平方米，比當(dāng)前水平提升約40%。通過(guò)提高產(chǎn)能、宇部興產(chǎn)能夠及時(shí)應(yīng)對(duì)隔膜市場(chǎng)的需求，從而實(shí)現(xiàn)增長(zhǎng)。公司還將考慮逐漸增加3億平方米的隔膜生產(chǎn)能力，2020年左右產(chǎn)能達(dá)到當(dāng)前水平的兩倍。

In its battery materials business, which is positioned as a strategic growth business, Ube Industries is working to expand its global sales of electrolytes by leveraging its expert ability to develop additive agents. The Company is also carrying out development of Artificial Micro Carbon (AMC) as a conductive agent for cathodes and anodes in lithium-ion batteries, and lithium titanium oxide (LTO) as an anode material. As the market for lithium-ion batteries for automotive applications is expected to keep growing globally, Ube Industries will strive to expand its battery materials business with a focus on such applications.

宇部興產(chǎn)電池材料業(yè)務(wù)定位為戰(zhàn)略業(yè)務(wù)增長(zhǎng)，正在努力擴(kuò)大其電解質(zhì)的全球銷量，通過(guò)利用其專業(yè)能力發(fā)展電解質(zhì)代理。公司還開(kāi)發(fā)人工微碳（AMC）導(dǎo)電劑材料，以及鋰鈦氧化物（LTO）鋰電池陽(yáng)極材料。電動(dòng)汽車用鋰離子電池市場(chǎng)預(yù)計(jì)將持續(xù)增長(zhǎng)，宇部興產(chǎn)將努力擴(kuò)大其電池材料等重點(diǎn)業(yè)務(wù)。