Posco Chemical said on Monday that it will spend 600 billion won to build a new precursor factory at its plant in Gwangyang, South Korea, with an annual production capacity of 100,000 metric tonnes.
The company said it was doing so to secure competence in raw material as it looks ahead to the growth of the electric vehicle battery market.
It said it is aiming to secure a total annual precursor production capacity of 15,000 metric tonnes this year and 185,000 metric tonnes in 2025.
Posco Chemical is currently also building a precursor factory with an annual production capacity of 35,000 metric tonnes per year in China with local material giant Huayou Cobalt.
The South Korean chemical giant is also currently building cathode, lithium and recycling facilities at Gwangyang.
Posco Chemical said the addition of a precursor factory at the plant will allow it to build a battery cathode value chain there.
According to QYResearch Korea, only 13.9% of the precursors used in South Korea were produced locally as of 2020.
Precursors are used in producing cathodes, the most expensive raw material in battery production.
