Ube Industries, Ltd. (Ube) announced that Ube and The Dow Chemical Company (Dow) have agreed to establish a joint venture to manufacture and market electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs).

Ube manufactures and markets electrolytes and separators, which comprise two of the four main components of LIBs. Ube introduced functional electrolytes to the market in 1997, leveraging its own expertise in organic synthesis and electrochemistry. Ube has since expanded sales of functional electrolytes, which improve battery performance by combining high-purity electrolytes with additives. These functional electrolytes have played a critical role in enhancing the performance of modern LIBs and making new applications for the batteries possible.

The LIB market is growing today, driven mostly by applications for portable consumer devices such as mobile phones, laptop computers, and digital cameras. The demand for these batteries is expected to grow significantly in the future with the advance of industrial and storage battery applications such as for hybrid and electric vehicles.

To meet the growing demand for LIBs, Ube recognizes the importance of immediately building a global framework for manufacturing and marketing. The 50-50 joint venture between Ube and Dow will facilitate this ambition and leverage the world-class systems for R&D, production and marketing that Dow, the global leading chemical manufacturer, possesses, as well as its intellectual property management methods.

The joint venture will gradually build manufacturing facilities for electrolytes in the United States, China and Europe, targeting the time frame from 2012 to 2015.

Ube will license its electrolyte technology to the joint venture. In addition, Ube and Dow will support the joint venture in a number of ways including support for the construction and operation of manufacturing facilities and supply of raw materials, as well as in the areas of technical sales, staffing and administrative support.

Ube and Dow have not released details or terms of the joint venture agreement.
 

Data on Joint Venture