Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Group (MCHG) plans to increase its production capacity of natural graphite anode materials in China from 2,000 tons to 12,000 tons per year.

MCHG’s Chinese subsidiary Qingdao Lingda Kasei produces spherical graphite for the anode materials, which another Chinese subsidiary, Qingdao Anode Kasei, then uses to produce anode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

MCHG says it uses its own patented technology to make anode material that prevents battery swelling. The company also says, “MCHG offers advantages in its natural graphite anode products that emit less GHGs during the production process and have an excellent life cycle assessment.”

To match its plan for increased production capacity, MCHG signed two memorandums of understanding for the supply of natural graphite with Syrah Resources and Mineral Commodities. The company says it will perform “technical assessments to identify whether MCHG’s anode material production technology is optimized with the source graphite materials, and will then negotiate the details toward future collaboration.”

MCHG says it is considering collaborating with natural graphite companies on production and sales activities in Europe and the US.

Source: Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Group