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An SK IE Technology employee examines a separator. (Photo courtesy of SK IE Technology) |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] SK IE Technology (SKIET) has begun supplying electric vehicle (EV) battery separators for a major North American project, accelerating its efforts to diversify its customer base in the region.
The company announced today that it started delivering separator film rolls to a new North American project in April. By next year, SKIET plans to supply enough separators to equip up to 300,000 EVs. Due to confidentiality agreements, details such as the client’s name and the contract value have not been disclosed.
SKIET anticipates a significant increase in separator demand after the so-called “EV adoption chasm” narrows in the coming years. In the wake of recent U.S. policy changes, global automakers are increasingly seeking non-China-sourced materials for their supply chains.
The company attributes this large-scale North American contract win to its proven product quality and the added price competitiveness it enjoys from tariffs imposed on Chinese-made separators.
With the Trump administration’s tariffs on Chinese imports met by retaliatory measures from China, the U.S.-China trade war appears poised to escalate. As trade policy uncertainty intensifies, efforts to secure non-Chinese material sources are expected to accelerate.
According to market research firm SNE Research, Chinese manufacturers held an 88.8% share of the global EV battery separator market in the fourth quarter of last year. If the trade tensions persist, non-Chinese suppliers are expected to gradually expand their market share.
Alphabiz Reporter Paul Lee(hoondork1977@alphabiz.co.kr)
