Furukawa Electric Accelerates Capacity Up for Li-Battery Copper Foil

Furukawa Electric plans to speed up capacity expansion for electrolytic copper foil to meet steady demand from lithium ion battery makers, especially for electric vehicles (EV). The firm previously announced domestic capacity expansion plan of electrolytic copper foil for lithium ion battery to 1,000 tonnes per month in March 2012 from present 550 tonnes per month. Now the firm projects to put the time schedule ahead to December 2011 since the demand is healthily increasing from EV battery makers. Furukawa Electric also eyes the time schedule acceleration for the new copper foil plant in Taiwan.

Furukawa Electric’s Imaichi plant in Tochigi, Japan presently has output capacity of electrolytic copper foil for lithium ion battery at 550 tonnes per month. The plant had planned to raise the capacity to 1,000 tonnes until March 2012 by conversion of excess facilities for copper foil applied to printed circuits. This time schedule would be hastened by around 3 months.

Japanese car makers are forced to reduce their productions after parts supply shortage after Japan Earthquake while EV production seems put ahead of other type cars. Copper foil demand related to automotive lithium ion battery hasn’t weakened so much despite of car makers’ low operation. Besides, car makers are committed to earlier operation recovery. Furukawa Electric considers copper foil supply capacity should be raised within this year to follow the strong demand growth.

The new plant in Taiwan is scheduled to start production of electrolytic copper foil for lithium ion battery in September 2012 and raise the output capacity to 500 tonnes per month. The construction works would start in early 2011. Furukawa Electric also aims to accelerate the operation start by 1-2 months or more.

Furukawa Electric’s share of electrolytic copper foil for automotive lithium ion battery currently exceeds 80% of the world.