Asahi Kasei has formally opened its new Hipore wet-process lithium ion battery separator coating line in the US, marking an expansion of production capacity at its existing Celgard plant.

An opening ceremony was held at the Charlotte, North Carolina site on August 20 — where commercial production is scheduled to begin in the second half of this year.

The ceremony coincided with the 40th anniversary of Celgard’s manufacturing plant in Charlotte and came just months after Celgard celebrated the 15th anniversary of its Concord plant in North Carolina.

Celgard is a subsidiary of Asahi Kasei, which sold off its Daramic lead battery separator business to Kingswood Capital Management for an undisclosed sum in December 2025.

Celgard said its investment in expansion at Charlotte is in preparation for an expected increase of battery demand beyond EVs, buoyed by deployment of new energy storage systems.

Although the separator market remains competitive, the firm said improving regional market conditions are creating opportunities for suppliers with localised production and responsive supply capabilities.

Meanwhile, construction of Asahi Kasei’s wet-process separator facility in Canada is said to be progressing according to plan.

Ryu Taniguchi, president of the Asahi Kasei Battery Separator Corporation, said: “Opening the Charlotte coating line is a key milestone in establishing our North American supply platform for battery separators.”

Building on Celgard’s experienced workforce and established operations, we are expanding our North American product portfolio to include both Celgard dry-process and Hiporewet-process technologies, Taniguchi said.

“Together with our planned separator facility in Canada, this investment will bring production capabilities closer to the region’s battery market and position Asahi Kasei to swiftly respond as demand grows across EVs and energy storage systems.”

Celgard president Dawn Heng told Batteries International earlier this year: “As the original inventor of ceramic‑coated separators ― technology that has helped shape the lithium ion battery industry for decades ― Celgard continues to build on a legacy of innovation.”

Heng, who was appointed president of Celgard in 2025, was previously best known for over a decade as the popular senior VP of Daramic.