Showa
Denko K.K. (SDK) has decided to expand its production capacities for materials
used in lithium-ion rechargeable batteries (LIBs), namely, artificial-graphite-based
anode material (SCMG), additive in anodes and cathodes (VGCF), and aluminum laminated
films for packaging.

SDK
will expand the capacity of its SCMG plant at Omachi, Nagano Prefecture,
by stages from 1,000 t/y at present to 3,000 t/y by the middle of 2012 through
debottlenecking of respective processes, including crushing.

As
for VGCF, SDK will add a new production line at its Kawasaki Plant, Kanagawa Prefecture, increasing the production
capacity from 100 t/y at present to 200 t/y by the beginning of 2012.

Furthermore,
SDK’s subsidiary Showa Denko Packaging Co. Ltd. will expand its aluminum
laminated film production capacity at its Hikone Plant, Shiga Prefecture,
by 50% by the end of 2011 through addition of a new dry laminator.

Demand
for environment-friendly electric vehicles and hybrid cars is growing due to the
need to curb emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases and to
reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Furthermore, storage batteries for
industrial and household applications have been attracting attention since the
rolling blackouts that followed the Great East Japan Earthquake. Thus,
demand for large LIBs for automotive and storage battery applications is
expected to grow rapidly in and after 2013. SDK has therefore decided to
increase its production capacities for SCMG and VGCF, which contribute toward
increasing the capacity and extending the life of LIBs.

Showa Denko K.K., www.sdk.co.jp