SKIET to supply battery separators to major client in China

South Korea’s battery separator maker SK IE Technology Co. (SKIET) will supply separators to a major electric vehicle (EV) battery maker in China, following the lead of domestic counterparts LG Energy Solution Ltd., SK On and Samsung SDI Co..

SKIET on Monday said it signed a memorandum of understanding with Sunwoda, which ranks ninth on the global EV battery market, to raise cooperation through ways like supplying separators.

This is SKIET’s first large-scale supply to a Chinese manufacturer. A separator is one of the four major components of an EV vehicle battery along with cathode and anode materials and electrolytes and prevents explosion by separating positive and negative electrodes to prevent their direct contact.

SKIET from May will supply separator products made at its Changzhou plant in China to Sunwoda. The Chinese company’s major clients for EV batteries include Geely Auto, Dongfeng Motor, SAIC Corp. Motor, Volvo and Volkswagen.

Through this MOU, SKIET and Sunwoda will raise cooperation over the mid- to long-term on the Chinese EV market.

SKIET is also considering entering North America with amid the effectuation of the US Inflation Reduction Act.

Write to Mi-Sun Kang at misunny@hankyung.com