2003.07.02 LG Chem

LG Chem signs a deal with Nanjing, China to establish a polarizer plant
　　http://www.lg.co.kr/english/news/press/view.jsp?news_num=4734

2003/8/7　LG Chem

LG Chem aims KRWon 15 trillion in sales for 2008
　　http://www.lgchem.com/cgi-bin/chea1031.cgi?p_seqn_numb=200308070001&p_news_kind=01

LG Chem, Ltd., the largest chemical company in Korea, announced today its new mid-to-long term business strategies and its goals of KRWon 15 trillion in sales and a 13% operating profit rate for 2008.

2003-8-7 Asia Chemical Weekly

LG Chem to expand Yeochun styrene to 500 kt/yr

LG Chem plans to expand its 375 000 tonne/year styrene plant in Yeochun, South Korea, to 500 000 tonne/year later this year, the company said.

朝鮮日報　2003.08.28 

  LG、ＡＢＳ・デジタルテレビを集中育成へ  
　　　http://japanese.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2003/08/28/20030828000070.html

LGは２８日、プラスチックの一種である高付加合成樹脂ＡＢＳ（LG化学）とデジタルテレビ（LG電子）、テレフォンショッピング（LGホームショッピング）を「１等戦略産業」に選定、２００５年まで２兆ウォンを投じ、集中育成することにした。
 

2003.09.17 　LG Chem

LG Chem develops core materials for Organic EL
　　　http://www.lgchem.com/cgi-bin/chea1031.cgi?p_seqn_numb=200309170001&p_news_kind=01

LG Chem, Ltd., the largest chemical company in Korea, announced today that it has developed core materials for organic EL (Electro Luminescence) and has set up plans for mass production.

Organic EL Structure

2004年11月01日 Ｃｈｅｍｎｅｔ Ｔｏｋｙｏ　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Tianjin LG Bohai Chemical Co., Ltd.

韓国LGが天津にVCM35万トン、大型電解から一貫生産発表

　韓国LG化学は10月29日、中国天津での電解〜VCM計画を発表した。それによると、既存のPVCのJV(天津LG大沽化工)のプラントから10キロ離れた天津臨港産業区に、電解(ソーダ:24万トン、塩素:21万6000トン)、EDC(30万トン)、VCM(35万トン)の各プラントを建設する。

　工期は今年12月から2006年12月までの25ヵ月。建設費は3億米ドル。VCMはLG大沽の既存PVCプラント（34万トン）に供給する。LG大沽ではPVCの増設を検討中。

　同計画はLGグループ 75%、LG大沽化工 10%、及び後者の株主である大沽化工の親会社・渤海化学が15%出資したJVで行われる。(注、天津LG大沽化工はLG化学グループ85%、大沽化工15%)

　LGでは中国のPVC需要は現在の年間640万トンから、2008年には850万トンに増えると見ており、天津で電解から一貫生産することでコスト競争力を確保し、中国 No.1 のPVCメーカーを目指す。

　LGは2002年、中国でのPVC増設計画用に、豪州グラッドストーンで、現地の Cheetham Salt と合弁で電解(ソーダ:24万トン)とEDC(30万トン)を生産する計画を発表したが、2003年夏採算性の理由から同計画を中止した。

　現在、天津向けには韓国から供給するとともに、一部トクヤマから供給を受けている。

---

2004/11/24 中国・ＡＳＥＡＮニュース速報

韓国LG化学、天津でVCM・EDC生産

　天津市で22日、韓国LGグループによる塩化ビニル生産工場の投資契約調印式が行われた。

　23日付天津日報によると、同プロジェクトはLG化学と天津渤海化工集団の合弁によるもので、登録資本金１億米ドル、投資総額は３億米ドルに上る。臨海工業区に年産35万トンの工場を設立し、塩化ビニルモノマー（ＶＣＭ）と二塩化エチレン（ＥＤＣ）を生産。2006年末の稼働を予定している。

　

2004/10/29 LG Chem

VCM/EDC Project in Tianjin
http://www.lgchem.com/upload/ir/eng_hot_issue/2004_Tianjin_VCM_EDC_Project_e.pdf

2005/5/25 Asia Chemical Weekly

LG Chem breaks ground for EDC-VCM project in Tianjin

On May 23, LG Chem took a ground breaking ceremony for its VCM and EDC project in Tanggu (塘沽), Tianjin.

The project will be a joint venture between LG Chem (45%), LG Petrochemical (20%), LG International (10%), LG Dagu (10%) and Tianjin Bohai Chemical Industry Co (15%).The investment of this project is $300m, it will produce 350,000 tonne/year of VCM, 300,000 tonne/year of EDC and 240,000 tonne/year of caustic soda. The project is expected completed by the end of 2006.

The Output from the VCM/EDC plant will be as the feedstock for LG Chem’s existing 340,000 tonne/year PVC plant in Tianjin. The plant is operated by Tianjin LG Dagu Chemical, a jv between LG Chem and Bohai Chemical.

With the investment in China, LG Chem intents to strengthen its position in the fast- growing Chinese market.

2005/5/25 LG Chem

LG Chem to Establish VCM/EDC Plant in China
http://www.lgchem.com/press/releases/releases_view.jsp?idx=121

LG Chem, Ltd., the largest chemical company in Korea, announced today that it would hold a groundbreaking ceremony for its VCM/EDC plant in Tianjin, China. At the end of last year, LG Chem signed an agreement with Tianjin Bohai Chemical Co., Ltd. to establish a VCM (Vinly Chloride Monomer) and EDC (Ethylene Di-Chloride) plant by the end of 2006.

Nearly all of VCM goes into PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride), which is used for manufacturing many plastic products in the building and construction sector. EDC is the base chemical of which 95% is used for producing VCM.

With a total investment of USD 300 million, the new facilities strategically located at Lingang Industrial District, Tianjin, China will have capacity of 350,000mt/yr of VCM, 300,000mt/yr of EDC and 240,000mt/yr of Caustic Soda.

The new facilities will be established as a joint venture named 'Tianjin LG Bohai Chemical Co., Ltd.'; the investors are comprised of LG Chem (45%), LG Petrochemical (20%), LG International (10%), LG Dagu (10%), and Tianjin Bohai Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. (15%).

Tianjin LG Bohai Chemical Co., Ltd.

Product Chain after Completion


PVC Supply and Demand (Unit: KMT)

(Source: BCG, Mitsui, LG Chem)

---

2007/9/7　Korea Times

LG Chem Builds Plant for PVC Raw Materials in China

LG Chem, the top South Korean chemicals maker, said on Friday that it has built a plant for PVC (polyvinyl chloride) raw materials in China at a cost of $300 million (281 billion won), to directly produce plastics in the neighboring country.
(ceremony to mark the completion of a plant for PVC materials on Sep. 6)

LG Bohai, the firm’s Chinese unit, has completed construction of the plant on a 500,000 square meter site in Tianjin Province for production of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) and ethylene dichloride (EDC), the two main ingredients for PVC.

Company officials expected the Chinese plant will produce about 350,000 tons of VCM and 300,000 tons of EDC per year, bringing the company’s annual PVC output to a total of 920,000 tons, the world's sixth largest in capacity.

``We aim to expand the annual PVC production at the Chinese plant up to 400,000 tons (from 340,000tons) by 2008, a company spokesman said. Currently, LG Chem has an annual capacity of 580,000 tons at home.

LG Bohai will receive ethylene from LG Chem’s Daesan factory and produce VCM, all of which will be delivered to LG Dagu, the South Korean chemical company’s PVC unit in China, according to the spokesman.

LG Chem 2005/8/17

LG Chem Signs License Partnership With Mitsui Chemicals
http://www.lgchem.com/press/releases/releases_view.jsp?idx=129

LG Chem, Ltd., the largest chemical company in Korea, announced today that the company signed a license partnership agreement with Mitsui Chemicals Inc., for the use of their VCM/EDC technology.

The partnership grants LG Chem with the exclusive rights to sublicense Mitsui's VCM/EDC technology. The partnership will not only be beneficial for LG Chem but also advantageous to Mitsui as well.

The exclusive rights enable LG Chem to develop new clients and further generate additional sales by promoting the technology with a full vinyl chain. LG Chem had already obtained a full vinyl chain technology by applying Mitsui's VCM/EDC technology with its existing PVC technology.

2010/8/13 Platts　

China's Tianjin Dagu to delay ABS trial runs until mid-September

China's Tianjin Dagu is expected to delay test runs at the company's first 200,000 mt/year acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene project at Tianjin from mid-August to the first half of September, a company source said Friday. The latest schedule indicates that commercial ABS cargoes now will be available only from early October, instead of end September as initially planned, the source added.

2007/8/23　天津大沽化工、天津でＳＭ 500千トンプラント建設

The company originally planned to build the ABS plant with two 200,000 mt/year lines at the same location by the fourth quarter of 2009, but delays with the company's initial 500,000 mt/year styrene monomer plant pushed the construction schedule back almost a year.

Startup of the second 200,000 mt/year ABS line remains scheduled for the second half of 2011. Styrene monomer, which comprises 60% of ABS, will be supplied from Tianjin Dagu's existing 500,000 mt/year plant, while butadiene will be supplied by Sinopec Sabic Tianjin Petrochemical.

Acrylonitrile, which comprises 25% of ABS feedstock, will be sourced from both domestic and international markets. In addition to sourcing acrylonitrile from Shanghai Secco Petrochemical, discussions are ongoing with China Petrochemical Development, South Korea's Taekwang Industrial, Japan's Asahi Kasei and US-headquartered Ineos Nitriles.

Platts estimates that running the ABS plant run at maximum nameplate capacity would require up to 50,000 mt/year of ACN, 30,000 mt/year of butadiene and 120,000 mt/year of SM. Tianjin Dagu awarded the contract for the ABS plants to US-based Shaw Group in January 2008. Shaw's agreement with Sabic Innovative Plastics Technologies Inc. -- formerly GE Plastics Global Technology LLP -- will enable Tianjin Dagu to use licensed styrenic emulsion ABS technology.

2010/12/21

LGグループ、来年に過去最大の21兆ウォン投資

LGグループは来年に、過去最大規模の21兆ウォン（約1兆5200億円）を投資することを決めたと発表した。
今年の投資額18.8兆ウォンを11.7％上回るもので、「LGグループ創設以来、総投資額が20兆ウォンを超えるのは初めて」としている。

本年は、LGディスプレーの坡州ＬＣＤ生産ライン増設とLG化学の自動車用バッテリー生産施設新設・増設に追加投資をし、当初の計画より3.8億ウォン（25%）増の18.8兆ウォンを投資した。

LGグループの具本茂会長は、グループの社長らと来年の事業戦略を協議した際、「未来の準備に対するスピードを上げ、市場をリードする大胆な構想を求めたい」と強調した。
今回の投資計画はこれに基づいている。

設備に16.3 兆ウォン、R&Dに4.7 兆ウォンを投資するもので、主な内容は以下の通り。

Aug. 17, 2011 KBR

KBR to Provide Phenol License and Engineering Services for LG Chem Ltd., in Daesan, South Korea

KBR(Kellogg Brown & Root) today announced it was awarded a contract by LG Chem Ltd. (LG) to license KBR's leading phenol technology for LG's 240 thousand metric tons per year (KTA) phenol plant in Daesan, South Korea.

The Daesan plant will be the second license by LG for KBR's phenol technology. The first phenol plant in Yesou was originally licensed in 2002 for 150 KTA and later expanded to 240 KTA. The new plant in Daesan will be part of an integrated, world-scale facility from cumene to BPA production. KBR will also provide the necessary engineering services in order to help LG meet its project schedule, which is targeting to be on-stream during the first half of 2013.

"KBR's phenol process is a benchmark in the industry and has been on the leading-edge of phenol technology for more than 60 years," said John Derbyshire, President, KBR Technology. "KBR's longstanding relationship with LG Chem began with the license for LG's first phenol unit in 2002 and has continued with ongoing cooperation in many areas of the technology. Nearly 10 years later, we are pleased to once again offer our technology to help LG meet its growth objectives."

KBR is a global engineering, construction and services company supporting the energy, hydrocarbon, government services, minerals, civil infrastructure, power, industrial, and commercial markets. For more information, visit www.kbr.com .

2013/12/18　Yonhap　

LG Chem to invest 320 bln won in plant expansion

Mar 02, 2015

LG Chem to bulk up in specialty materials, batteries


LG Chem vice chairman and CEO Park Jin-soo said the nation's top chemicals maker will pour more resources into its materials business, pledging to double sales in specialty materials and batteries by 2018.

"We are working on new materials that will change the future," Park said Friday in a press conference held at the company's plant in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province.

"Currently, petrochemical products make up 75 per cent of our revenue. We aim to reduce that figure to 60 per cent by 2020, while the remainder will be made up of value-added materials."

As part of efforts to seek new growth engines, LG Chem has greatly invested in new materials ranging from basic materials like engineering plastics and super absorbent polymers to lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles.

These are higher-margin materials that have a great potential to grow in the coming years, officials said.

The company is currently forecasting sales of 6 trillion won (S$7.4 billion) in that area alone for 2015. It expects the figure to double to 12 trillion won in 2018.

LG Chem aims to become a global top three manufacturer of engineering plastic, whose demand is surging for diverse applications across industries. Its automotive sales will be elevated to 50 per cent from the current 30 per cent.

The company is also pinning high hopes on a super absorbent polymer, which is widely used in baby diapers, as it can absorb and retain an extremely large amount of liquid. With the expansion at its Yeosu plant complete within the year, its production capacity will surge to 360,000 tons per year, the fifth-largest globally. The CEO also hinted that the company could build a new plant abroad, citing the market potential.

LG Chem, the No. 1 maker of lithium-ion batteries, the key component for electric vehicles, has recently extended ties with global carmakers to further widen the gap with its rivals.

"We have secured the technology to elevate the driving range of electric vehicles to 400 to 500 kilometers," Park said. Currently, most full-electric vehicles drive less than 200 kilometers on a single charge.

"It will not take long to produce the products," he added, declining to further elaborate.

In line with these plans, the company plans to double investment into research and development activities from the current 600 billion won to 900 billion won by 2018, and increase the number of researchers to 4,100 over the next three years.

2015-08-19 

LG Chem to beef up acrylic acid, SAP production

LG Chem said Wednesday it had finished expansion work on production lines for acrylic acid and a super absorbent polymer -- two basic materials on which the company pins high hopes for market leadership.

Following the expansion, its production plant in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, has an annual production capacity of 510,000 tons of acrylic acid and 360,000 tons of SAP, the world’s fifth- and fourth-largest capacities, respectively.

The company predicted an additional 300 billion won ($250 million) in sales through the new investment.

Distillation of crude oil results in the production of naphtha, which is further cracked in the absence of oxygen to give ethylene and propylene. Acrylic acid and SAP are derivatives of propylene. This entire process is carried out at LG Chem’s plant.

The chemical unit of LG Group is the sole producer of acrylic acid in Korea. The company started the production in 2004 on its own technologies and now competes head-on with global companies like BASF, Dow and NSCL.

As part of the efforts to secure competitiveness in basic materials, the company has also poured resources into the SAP business since 2008, becoming the No. 4 player in the market.

Buoyed by increased production capacity and improved productivity, LG Chem said it aims to elevate sales of acrylic acid and SAP from the current 1.1 trillion won to 1.7 trillion won by 2020.

“Since our entry into the acrylic acid and SAP business, LG Chem has become a global player in the field through large-scale investment and research and development efforts,” said LG Chem’s basic material business chief Sohn Ok-dong. “We will be ramping up our efforts to lead the market.”

According to the company, the market for acrylic acid is expected to grow from the current 4.9 million tons last year to 6.7 million tons by 2020, while that of SAP is estimated to increase from 2.3 million to 3.4 million in the next five years.

January 11th, 2016　

LG Chem Jumps into Agro-chemical Business

LG Chem, South Korea’s top chemicals and battery maker, will take over Dongbu Farm Hannong (東部ファーム韓農), the largest pesticide and fertilizer producer in the nation. LG Chem said on Jan.8 that it will purchase a 100 percent stake in Dongbu Farm Hannong for 515.2 billion won ($429.3 million).

LG Chem’s takeover of the agrochemical business unit of the ailing Dongbu Group is expected to be complete sometime in March after due diligence and evaluation of the M&A decision are carried out. Then, why has chemical company LG Chem decided to buy a pesticide and fertilizer producer?

LG Chem says its acquisition of Dongbu Farm Hannong is part of its endeavors to secure a new growth engine. "Global chemical companies have been intensively developing their agro-chemical business into their future flagship business. LG Chem’s takeover of Dongbu Farm Hannong will help LG Chem evolve into an advanced global chemical processor," said Park Jin-soo, vice chairman of LG Chem.

As a matter of fact, most of the global agochemical household names are major chemical companies, such as BASF, Dow Chem and Simitomo.

BASF, the largest chemical producer in the world, has been continuously pushing for M&As. Dow Chemical and DuPont have recently announced that they will merge.

“There is a limit to the growth of LG Chem’s petrochemicals business as the Chinese economy has slowed down. Global chemical companies are reshaping their business portfolios by selling off underperforming divisions and acquiring high-growth businesses. In that sense, the ago-chemical sector is a very lucrative market,” said Lee Ung-joo, an analyst at Seoul-based Shinhan Investment Corp.

Many think that LG Chem’s takeover of Dongbu Farm Hannong will serve as a plus in the chemical company expanding its business from basic materials (petrochemical), information-electronic materials and secondary batteries to agricultural chemistry (e.g. plant seeds and crop protective materials).

Dongbu Farm Hannong, South Korea's largest processor of agricultural materials, takes the largest share of 27 percent in the crop protection chemicals market and the second-largest share of 19 percent in the seed and fertilizer market.

The worldwide agricultural chemistry sector is expected to expand from $100 billion in 2014 to more than $140 billion in 2020, growing, on average, 6 percent a

CJ第一製糖が最近、農資材メーカーである東部ファーム韓農の買収を検討したが中断していると報道されていた。

26 Jan, 2016 

LG Chem drops plan to build $4.2 bln Kazakh petrochem complex
　

South Korea's LG Chem said on Tuesday it had decided to drop a plan to jointly build a $4.2-billion petrochemical complex in Kazakhstan, citing a prolonged slump in oil prices and a sharp increase in facility investments.

In 2011, the chemical company said it would construct the complex near the western Kazakh city of Atyrau as part of a 50-50 joint venture with two Kazakh companies.

The plan involved building ethylene and polyethylene plants with annual capacities of 840,000 tonnes and 800,000 tonnes, respectively.

LG Chem also said it had cancelled its plan to invest in the polysilicon business, citing difficult prospects for a market turnaround in the short term.

In 2011, the company said it would build a 5,000-tonne-per-year plant, at a cost of 491 billion won ($408 million), to manufacture polysilicon, which is used to make solar panels

2011/8/29  　韓国の李大統領、中央アジア3か国歴訪、ガス田開発、石化事業などで合意　

LG化学と国営企業のKazakhstan Petrochemical  (KPI) はAtyrau石油化学団地建設と関連の合弁契約に署名した。
50/50JVを設立し、カスピ海近くのTengiz油田から出るエタンガスを活用してエチレン、ポリエチレンを製造する。
LG化学が工場建設・運営・製品販売を担当する。

KPIは国営石油会社KazMunaiGasが51%、私企業のSAT & Co が49%を保有する。

能力はエチレンが84万トン、PEが80万トン。

2016/05/13

LG International, Tehran sign deal to cooperate in developing EVs

LG International Corp., the trading arm of South Korea's LG Group, said Friday that it has signed a tentative deal with the Iranian government to cooperate in developing electric vehicles and establishing necessary infrastructure.

Under the deal, LG International will work with local companies to develop electric vehicles and build charging stations. They also agreed to produce about 60,000 units of EVs by 2023.

Other details on the terms of the agreement were not known. Both sides are seeking to finalize the deal within this year.

LG International will oversee the project jointly with the Iranian government. Other affiliates, such as LG Electronics, LG Chem and LG Innotek, will lead efforts to develop batteries, electric motors and key auto parts, the company said.

2016/07/25 Yonhap

LG Chem to jack up elastomer output

2016-10-17  亜州経済　   

LG化学、事業構造の高度化本格的に着手…"先制的な投資で供給過剰危機の突破"

LG化学が競争力強化のための事業構造の高度化に本格的に乗り出した。

最近、政府が石油化学産業の競争力強化策を発表した中、LG化学の今回の措置が他の石油化学業種に少なからぬ影響を及ぼすものと見られる。

LG化学は16日、高付加価値製品の拡大に必要な基礎原料を確保するため、NCCの増設に乗り出す一方、供給過剰であるPS(ポリスチレン)製品ラインを高付加ABS生産設備に転換することにしたと明らかにした。

まずLG化学は2019年までに忠清南道の大山工場に2870億ウォンを投資してNCCエチレン生産規模を23万t増設する。 

増設が完了すれば、LG化学の大山工場のエチレン生産量は104万tから127万tに増加し、世界NCC単一工場の中で最大生産能力を保有するようになる。 増設による売上増大効果は4000億ウォン以上と予想される。 また、麗水工場の116万tと大山工場の127万tを加えると年間エチレンの総生産量は243万tに拡大され、国内1位の生産力をさらに強固に維持することになる。

今回のNCCの増設は設備の効率が高い工程を導入するなど投資効率性を極大化して新規工場建設への投資費を半分以下に下げたとLG化学側は説明した。

LG化学はメタルロセン系PO(ポリオレフィン)、高機能ABSおよびEP、エコ合成ゴムなど高付加価値製品の売り上げを現在の3兆ウォン規模から2020年7兆ウォンに増やすことにしたが、NCCで生産されるエチレン、プロピレン、ブタジエンなどが同製品の基礎原料として使われる。

また、LG化学は事業構造高度化の一つで来年上半期まで麗水工場内のPS生産ライン2個のうち、1つのラインを高付加製品であるABS生産ラインに転換することにした。 PS 5万t 1期ラインは海外技術ライセンスの役割(技術料収入)を随行し、内部需要を充足するために残すことになる。

生産ラインへの転換が完了されれば、LG化学のPS国内生産量は年間10万tから5万t規模に縮小され、ABS国内生産量は年間85万tから88万tに増えることになる。 

高機能ABSは耐熱性と耐衝撃性、加工性が優れ、自動車や家電、IT素材に主に適用されており、LG化学が世界市場シェア20%で1位を占めている。

2016年10月04日
　

韓国 石化産業の構造改革急ぐ 政府が過剰品目の再編促す

韓国で石油化学産業の構造改革が進む。サムスングループの石油化学事業をハンファグループとロッテケミカルが買収するなどこの１―２年で業界再編の動きが出ていたが、中国への輸出不振の深刻化、さらに来年以降のシェール革命による米石化産業の大増設などを受け、さらなる事業統合などによる競争力向上の必要性に迫られている。

政府は業界の自発的な生産能力調整を促すほか、合成樹脂、合成ゴムの高機能品に重点を置き、蔚山、麗水、大山の既存の石化拠点を中心に産業のアップグレードを推進する方針だ。

2016/11/7 

LG Chem to invest $100 mil. in ABS plant in China

LG Chem will invest $100 million to expand manufacturing capacity of durable plastic at its Huanan factory in Guangdong, southeastern China, the Korean chemical maker said Monday.

LG Chem said it will increase manufacture of high value-added acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) by 150,000 tons per year.

2009/7/25　LG Chem、中国海洋石油との合弁で広東省でABSを生産

Added to 900,000 tons of ABS production capacity at a factory here in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, and another 800,000 tons at its Ningbo plant in China, the Huanan factory is expected to produce 300,000 tons of ABS a year by 2018, boosting LG Chem's annual production by 2 million tons. The company expects this will help increase its global ABS market share to 26 percent by 2018, up from 21 percent now.

麗水  880千トン    880千トン←850千トン
寧波  800千トン   寧波LG甬興化工（LG Chem 75%/甬興化工 25%）
広東省恵州市　300千トン（←150千トン）　　中国海洋石油（CNOOC）とのJV ：CNOOC & LG Petrochemicals Co 　増設でLGの比率 70%（←50%）
合計　1,980千トン

"By maximizing our international brand awareness and our differentiated technical services in the ABS sector, we will strengthen our dominance in China's largest Huanan market," said Son Ok-dong, president of LG Chem's Basic Materials Business, in a statement. "We will also utilize the facility as an advance base for the newly emerging Southeast Asian markets to solidify our top position in the industry."

ABS, which is one of the most popular high value-added plastic synthetic resin products, is highly thermostable and crashworthy and thus is widely used as a key material for car and electronics.

Currrently, China takes more than 50 percent of global ABS demand. In particular, more than half the country's total ABS demand comes from the Huanan area, according to the company.

In 2008, LG Chem established a joint venture with China's state-run petroleum and natural gas provider China National Offshore Oil Corp. The company said the extra investment in the Huanan factory will increase its stake in the joint corporation by 70 percent, up from the current 50 percent.

LG Chem said its annual sales will expand by 700 billion won once the expanded manufacturing facilities go online.

"The expansion of the Huanan ABS factory means much to us as it will lead not only to an increase of manufacturing scale but also will help us strengthen our business control over the joint corporation," Son said.

The company said it has recently increased ethylene production by 230,000 tons at the Naphtha Cracking Center in its plant in Daesan, South Chungcheong Province. It also modified its manufacturing facilities for polystyrene, which has been oversupplied in the market, to produce ABS products, aiming at boosting profitability in the basic materials business.

04 July 2018 　　

Nemaska signs 7 000 t/y lithium offtake agreement with LG Chem

Canada’s Nemaska Lithium and Korean chemical company LG Chem have signed an offtake agreement that provides for the supply of battery grade lithium hydroxide by Nemaska to LG.

“We are pleased with this first step towards establishing a long-term commercial relationship between LG and Nemaska. The signing of this agreement is a clear vote of confidence by LG in our business plan and our capacity to be a long-term supplier of lithium hydroxide,” said Nemaska president and CEO Guy Bourassa.

Under this agreement, Nemaska agrees to supply LG, on a take-or-pay basis and through its wholly-owned subsidiary Nemaska Lithium Shawinigan Transformation, with 7 000 t/y of lithium hydroxide, which is produced at Nemaska’s commercial plant in Shawinigan, Quebec, for an initial five-year period, scheduled to start in October 2020.

Nemaska is entitled, if ever necessary, to reschedule the start of the supply period, within certain parameters set out in the agreement and based on the anticipated commissioning, ramping up and production start date for the Shawinigan plant.

Nemaska will be operating the Whabouchi mine, also in Québec. The spodumene concentrate produced at the Whabouchi mine will be processed at the Shawinigan plant using a unique membrane electrolysis process for which Nemaska holds several patents.

ーーー

In April, 2018, SoftBank Group agreed to invest up to C$99.1 million (US$77.6 million) in Nemaska for up to a 9.9% stake in the company and gained the right of first offer to buy up to 20% of the lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate produced at the Shawinigan plant.

ソフトバンクグループは4月6日、カナダでリチウムの採掘および精錬を行うNemaska Lithium Inc.（本社 ケベック州）の全発行済株式の最大9.9％を出資する契約を締結したと発表した。

Nemaskaは、リチア輝石の採掘から高純度の水酸化リチウムと炭酸リチウム製品化まで垂直統合した事業を行う企業で、製品化されたリチウム塩は主に、世界的なEVと蓄電池の需要増加により急成長するリチウムイオンバッテリー市場へ提供される。

Nemaskaは、量、グレードともに世界で最も豊富なリチウム原石であるリチア輝石の可採掘埋蔵量を有するカナダ・ケベック州のWhabouchiで事業を開始する予定。

ソフトバンクグループが Nemaskaの発行済み株式を少なくとも5％以上保有する限り、毎年の年間生産量のうち、最大20％を長期間にわたり購入する権利を有することになる。

2018/4/10  ソフトバンク、カナダのリチウム事業に参加　

　

This is LG Chem's second agreement with a battery metal raw material producer.

In April, it agreed to form two joint ventures with China's Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt to ensure cobalt supply for lithium-ion batteries.

LG Chem は4月11日、リチウムイオン電池用のコバルトの供給を確保するため、浙江華友コバルト（浙江華友鈷業股份有限公司）と2つのJVを設立することで合意したと発表した。

LGは合計225百万ドルを投じて2020年までに中国にプレカーサーと正極（カソード）のJVを設立し、年間4万トンを生産する。

浙江華友コバルトは、子会社の剛果東方国際鉱業（CDM）がコンゴで採掘するコバルトを中国で精製し、正極材メーカーの中国の湖南杉杉（Pulead)や北大先行科技産業（Shan Shan)、韓国のL&F新素材などに供給している。

2018/4/17　LG Chem、中国の浙江華友コバルトとリチウムイオン電池材料のJVを設立　

2018/8/15

China’s Ganfeng Lithium Signs supply agreement with Korea’s LG Chem

China’s Ganfeng Lithium 江西贛鋒鋰業 has signed a supply agreement with Korea’s LG Chem to supply 47,600 tonnes of the battery material.

Shenzhen-listed Ganfeng, one of China’s largest lithium producers, will provide lithium hydroxide from January 2019 until the end of 2022, it said in a statement.

The deal is the latest sign of battery makers securing raw materials to meet rising demand for electric cars.

The lithium will be supplied at market prices to LG Chem, one of the largest producers of batteries for electric cars, Ganfeng said.

In July LG Chem signed a deal with Canada’s Nemaska Lithium for five years supply of lithium hydroxide.

Electric car makers are moving to using more powerful higher-nickel batteries, which tend to use lithium hydroxide rather than lithium carbonate, which is the current dominant chemistry used in batteries.
　

2018/09/12

LG Chem acquires U.S. adhesive firm Uniseal

LG Chem Ltd., South Korea's biggest chemical company by sales, said Wednesday that it has acquired Uniseal, Inc., an American maker of specialty adhesives and sealants in a move to diversify its business portfolio.

LG Chem purchased a 100 percent stake in Uniseal from its parent company, Koch Enterprises, Inc., in a deal worth about 150 billion won (US$133 million), according to a person familiar with the deal who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.

 Koch Industriesは2004年にDuPont の繊維部門であったInvista を42億ドルで買収

The acquisition strengthens LG Chem's business portfolio in materials used in the auto industry.

Currently, LG Chem is a key supplier of batteries to U.S. auto giant General Motors Co., European companies Volvo and Renault and South Korea's Hyundai Motor Group.

LG Chem Vice Chairman and CEO Park Jin-soo said his company will nurture vehicle adhesives into a global business, noting such materials are a promising business as carmakers are pushing to reduce the weight of cars.

Uniseal products are used in the transportation industry, and the automotive, heavy truck and trailer market segments account for over 80 percent of the company's business, according to Koch Enterprises. Uniseal customers include U.S. auto giants GM and Ford Motor Co.

In 2017, Uniseal sales reached about 63 billion won, LG Chem said.

The Evansville, Indiana-based company's primary manufacturing facilities are located in Evansville, Shanghai, Retsag in Hungary and Chennai in India.

28 November 2018

LG Chem to expand Polish EV battery production

South Korea's LG Chem is posed to expand its electric vehicle (EV) battery business in Poland, less than a year after opening its factory there.

LG Chem's board of directors today approved investment of $571mn in LG Chem Wroclaw Energy to fund the expansion. The project will run from next month to April 2021, and it may triple the unit's output capacity in Poland to 300,000 EV batteries annually from the current 100,000. LG did not say whether the new production lines will be built at its existing factory near Wroclaw or on a separate site.

The latest investment will exceed the amount that LG Chem spent to build its Polish plant by about 63pc. The current factory, which opened earlier this year, is located in Kobierzyce, about 20km southwest of Wroclaw. LG Chem's decision to expand so quickly comes after the company last month signed a contract to supply EV batteries to German automaker Volkswagen.

LG Chem joined its South Korean rivals, SK Innovation and Samsung SDI, in signing supply deals with Volkswagen. The automaker plans to introduce 50 new electric-only models under its various nameplates by 2025, aiming by that year to sell more than 1mn units annually under the Volkswagen brand alone.

Volkswagenグループは2018年11月13日、韓国の電池メーカーであるSKイノベーション（SKI）から電池セルを調達すると発表した。SKIから調達した電池は、北米および欧州で販売するVWグループの電動車に搭載する予定。

VWグループへの電池サプライヤーはこれで4社目となる。韓国LG化学（LG Chem）、韓国サムスン（Samsung）、中国CATLの3社にSKIが加わった。当面、LG ChemとSamsungが担っている欧州向けEVの電池サプライヤーにSKIが加わることになるが、2022年からは北米向けの需要にも対応するとのこと。CATLは中国での戦略的パートナーであり、2019年から中国向けEV電池の供給を始めることが決まっている。これにより、各市場に合わせた電動車用電池を安定して提供できる体制ができた。

6月11日、世界最大の電気自動車（EV）向けバッテリーメーカーである中国の「CATL（寧徳時代新能源科技）」が深圳証券取引所に上場を果たした。CATL会長のRobin Zeng：曾毓群（50）と副会長のHuang Shilin（51）は、同社株の26％と12％を保有している。

CATLは2011年に創業され、中国のEVメーカーやBMW、フォルクスワーゲン向けのバッテリーを製造している。

SK Innovation earlier this week approved investment of 1.4 trillion won ($1.24bn) to build an EV battery plant near Atlanta that will supply Volkswagen vehicles in North America. All three major South Korean battery producers are following a strategy of setting up large production centres in their home country, China, central Europe and the US to capitalise on rising global demand.

There were 3.1mn EVs in use globally last year, up 54pc from 2016's level, with the IEA forecasting this to rise to about 125mn by 2030.

December 19th, 2018        

LG Chem、豪州のKidman Resourcesとリチウムの長期購入契約締結へ

LG Chem は12月19日、豪州のKidman Resources との間で、Kidman が運営する豪州のMount Holland リチウム計画の水酸化リチウムを10年にわたり購入する非拘束の覚書を締結した。

Kidmanは年間12千トンの水酸化リチウムをLG Chemに市価をベースにした価格で供給する。今後詳細を詰め、2019年7月末までに本契約を結ぶ。

Mount Holland リチウム計画は、豪州のKidman Resources とチリのリチウム大手のSQM（Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile）の50/50JVのCovalent Lithiumが推進している。

年間生産量は44千トンで、Kidmanの持分は22千トン。今回のLG Chem との契約は、Kidman持分の半分強となる。

Kidmanは既に他の2つの契約を結んでいる。

2018年5月に電気自動車大手であるTesla社との間で、Kidman取分の25％以下の量に関してオフテイク契約を締結した。

2018年11月1日、Kidmanは三井物産に水酸化リチウムを供給するための基本契約を締結したことを発表した。

契約期間は2019年6月から2年間で、2年間の延長が可能。

February 4, 2019   

Univation Signs UNIPOL™ PE Technology Agreement with LG Chem

April 30, 2019

LG Chem Alleges Trade Secrets Theft, Files Federal Suit against SK Innovation

The wholly-owned US manufacturing subsidiary of LG Chem, Ltd., the global leader in pouch-type lithium ion battery manufacturing whose unique technology underpins a significant share of the American electric vehicle market, filed on Monday a pair of lawsuits against South Korean-owned SK Innovation., Ltd. for misappropriation of trade secrets, tortious interference with prospective economic advantage and other claims.

Brought jointly by LGCMI, the US-subsidiary, and its parent corporation, the suits were filed concurrently with the United States International Trade Commission and the United States District Court of Delaware.

The suits allege that defendants accessed trade secrets by SK Innovation’s hiring of 77 highly skilled and experienced employees in the lithium ion battery division of LG Chem, which developed the world’s first commercial pouch-type Li-ion battery for automobiles. This technology has been adopted by automotive manufacturers worldwide as well as other consumer electronics applications.

These employees include dozens of engineers involved in the research and development, manufacturing and assembly, and quality assurance testing of Li-ion batteries, including the newest and most advanced generation battery technology. The lawsuits allege that a significant number of these workers engaged in the theft of LG Chem’s trade secrets to benefit SK Innovation in the development and manufacturing of pouch-type Li-ion batteries, of which LG Chem is the world’s leading supplier.

An internal audit of company communications and other data revealed that these employees openly conspired not only to steal LG Chem’s trade secrets but to leverage that information in employment considerations before SK Innovation. Applications and curriculum vitae, written specially for SK Innovation and stored on LG Chem computers, found these employees traded in LG Chem’s valuable trade secrets to secure employment with SK Innovation. For example, one of these employees inserted LG Chem’s key technical trade secret information regarding electrode manufacturing process on his curriculum vitae for SK Innovation. Even worse, some of these employees downloaded 400 to 1,900 key technical documents from LG Chem’s data server before their move to SK Innovation.

Coincidentally, from the end of 2016 – when the move of these 77 employees began – to the beginning of this year, SK Innovation’s aggregated amount of EV battery supply in contract has increased by more than fourteen times.

“SK Innovation has taken LG Chem’s highly skilled engineers and other critical business services staff, thereby gaining access to LG Chem’s highly valued lithium ion battery trade secrets. As a direct consequence of that theft, SK Innovation has begun manufacturing and selling imitation Li-ion batteries to LG Chem’s customers and prospects across the world,” Hak Cheol Shin, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of LG Chem, said. “SK Innovation’s blatant disregard for the rule of law damages the integrity of the free market and disrespects the innovators whose blood and sweat created a technology that’s proven vital to a greener world.”

LG Chem is seeking injunctive relief to cease any importation of Li-ion batteries, including both commercial Li-ion battery cells and modules, and to bar SK Innovation from importing the manufacturing and testing equipment necessary to build Li-ion batteries, as the machinery similarly relies on LG Chem’s trade secrets. Additionally, the company is seeking to prevent further disclosure and use of trade secrets and significant monetary damages.

LG Chem has already dealt with SK Innovation on a similar issue in Korea, where it sued five of its former employees who moved to SK Innovation for breach of their non-compete obligations. The Supreme Court of Korea ruled in favor of LG Chem, holding that the actual threat of potential disclosure of LG Chem’s valuable trade secret information justified the enforcement of the non-compete obligations. Despite such result, SK Innovation continued to poach LG Chem’s employees even to this point.
　

June 12, 2019  

South Korea's LG Chem to team up with China's Geely on EV batteries

 South Korean battery maker LG Chem Ltd said on Thursday it had signed an agreement to set up a joint venture with China's Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd 吉利汽車 to produce batteries for electric vehicles.

The joint venture would have annual production capacity of 10 GWh by the end of 2021, and its products would be supplied to Geely's electric vehicles from 2022, LG Chem said in a statement.

The two parties would invest $94 million each in the venture, LG Chem said in a statement.

Vehicles equipped with South Korean batteries currently are not eligible for government subsidies in China, the biggest auto and EV market in the world.

But Korean battery makers including LG Chem have announced investment plans to expand capacity in China, hoping China’s plan to phase out subsidies over the next couple of years will level the playing field.

"Through the joint venture, LG Chem has secured a stable structure to provide batteries for electric vehicles to the Chinese market," LG Chem said in a statement.

The South Korean company said it would pursue more joint ventures with other global carmakers.

　

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April. 28, 2020　

LG化学、カーボンナノチューブ生産を年間1200トン拡大

LG化学は、次世代素材として挙げられる「カーボンナノチューブ」の生産を年間1200トン増やすと、27日明らかにした。約650億ウォンを投資して、来年第1四半期までに麗水（ヨス）工場にカーボンナノチューブの設備増設を完了する計画だ。増設後、LG化学のカーボンナノチューブの生産能力は 年間500トンから1700トンに増える。

カーボンナノチューブは、電気・熱伝導率は銅と同様だが、強度は鉄鋼の100倍に達して、次世代新素材と呼ばれる。バッテリー、半導体、自動車部品、航空機胴体などに幅広く使われる。特に電気自動車用リチウムイオンバッテリーの陽極導電材（電気と電子の流れを助ける素材）として注目される。カーボンナノチューブを導電材として使えば、従来より導電材の使用量を約30％減らすことができ、残る空間を陽極材で満たせば、リチウムイオン電池の容量と寿命を延ばすことが可能となる。

LG化学は、新型コロナウイルス感染症による市場低迷期である最近も、ポーランドの電気自動車用バッテリー工場の増設を推進し、そのために金融機関から7000億ウォン規模で資金を調達するなど、グローバル電気自動車バッテリー市場を先取りするための施設投資に積極的に乗り出す様子だ。

LG化学は、「カーボンナノチューブを電気自動車用リチウムイオン電池に積極的に適用して、製品の競争力をさらに強化していく一方、次世代高付加素材分野でビジネスチャンスを見つけていきたい」と明らかにした。
　

LG Chem is investing 65 billion KRW ($53 million) to expand production capacity of carbon nanotubes at its Yeosu plant in South Korea by 1,200 tons annually (from 500 tons to 1,700 tons) by Q1 2021.

Global demand for CNT was reportedly 3,000 tons annually, which means that LG Chem already controlled one-sixth of the market and now will increase its output by 240%.
The main reason for the expansion is lithium-ion batteries. In particular, batteries for electric cars.

LG Chem has worked on CNT since 2011 and its first 20-ton pilot line was launched in 2013.

By 2024, global demand for CNT is expected to reach 13,000 tons, especially since there are plenty of applications other than batteries.

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June 03, 2020 　

LG Chem batteries to power Vietnam’s first-ever EV

LG Chem said on June 3 it will power Vietnam’s first-ever electric vehicle, which can travel up to 500 kilometers on a single charge.

According to LG Chem and local media, Vietnam’s first domestic carmaker VinFast will load its first EV models with lithium-ion batteries manufactured by LG Chem.

“We expect to officially debut the model at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2020; launch a test program in January 2021 and mass produce the cars by July 2021,” a VinFast official said. 
　

VinFast’s first EV on the road (Reuters)

“Though LG Chem can’t reveal the exact battery type VinFast will use, it mainly sells NCM (nickel cobalt manganese) 523 and NCM 622 batteries,” a company official said.

LG Chem signed a memorandum of understanding with VinFast in September 2018 and set up a joint venture with the company in April last year to produce lithium-ion batteries for the automaker’s electric scooters and EVs.

VinFast sold 5,124 cars in the local market in the first quarter this year, putting it in fifth place and ahead of brands that include Mitsubishi, Mazda and Ford, according to local media. 

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2020.06.10                    ↑　VinFast’s first EV

LG Chem rides fast in Vietnamese battery market by powering two wheels

South Korea’s leading battery maker LG Chem Inc. finds money in Vietnam, a country of two wheels, by powering e-scooters that have been catching on fast.

A JV it has established last year with Vietnam’s top automaker VinFast supplied lithium-ion battery packs for more than 30,000 units of e-scooter over the past year.

LG Chem and VinFast began operating the plant in June last year, two months after they established the JV in April. VinFast, a car making unit of Vietnamese biggest conglomerate Vingroup, released its first e-scooter equipped with a cylindrical battery in November 2018 and has installed LG Chem’s batteries to three models. The company sold 45,118 units of e-scooters until the end of last year, of which 30,000 units were powered with LG Chem’s batteries.

The Vietnamese e-scooter market has been rapidly growing with around 200,000 units sold per year on average, compared with just 50,000 units sold in 2017.

VinFast is set to unveil the country’s first electric car installed with LG Chem’s battery in November this year and start mass production in January next year.

VinFast, which had entered the finished car market in 2018, sold 5,124 units of vehicles in the first quarter ended March this year, becoming the fifth largest carmaker following Hyundai, Toyota, Kia and Honda in Vietnam.

The Vietnamese government has imposed several rules to regulate motorcycles due to heavy traffic and environmental reasons, but the demand for e-scooters is forecast to increase because the public transportation system is underdeveloped in the country. “Motorbike sales went down 70 percent in April from a year ago due to the impact of coronavirus, but the figure is projected to reach above 3 million by the end of the year,” an industry source said. “There is a huge growth potential in the Vietnamese e-scooter market if charging stations are added.”

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June 10, 2020 　　　　　

LG Chem in $1.1 billion deal with China's Shanshan to sell LCD polarizer business    液晶ディスプレイ偏光板

South Korea’s LG Chem Ltd said on Wednesday it has signed a conditional contract with China’s Ningbo Shanshan Co Ltd to sell most of its liquid crystal display (LCD) polarizer business for $1.1 billion.

Ningbo Shanshan Co.,Ltd. 寧波杉杉 manufactures apparels.
The Company produces suits, casual wear, shirts, uniforms, and other apparel products.
Ningbo Shanshan also produces lithium ion battery materials.

The chemicals and battery maker said some of its LCD polarizer business including those for automobiles would be excluded from the sale. Polarizers improve the display function in products.

“We are going to focus on strengthening our competitiveness in tech materials, especially organic light-emitting diode (OLED) and nurture our OLED polarizer business,” LG Chem said in a statement.

The company said the deal is pending approval from its board of directors, and the terms are subject to change. It said it plans to make another announcement once the deal is finalized.

Ningbo Shanshan said on Tuesday it plans to raise up to 3.1 billion yuan ($438 million) in a share placement to fund acquisition of a majority interest in LG Chem’s LCD polarizer business in China, Taiwan and South Korea.

2020/6/22

LG Chem considering closing down phthalic anhydride line in Yeosu


LG Chem Ltd. is considering shutting down its production line in the southeastern tip of the country due to oversupply, industry and company sources said Sunday.

South Korea's No. 1 electric vehicle battery maker said it has informed its workers of the plan to close down the line in Yeosu, 455 kilometers southeast of Seoul, which produces 50,000 tons of phthalic anhydride annually.

Phthalic anhydride is used in the manufacturing of polyesters.

Industry watchers believe that LG Chem's plan stemmed from the oversupply of the organic compound caused by Chinese rivals, which have been eating into its profits, and a toxic gas leak in its Indian plant.

"The phthalic anhydride production line has been operating so far," said an LG Chem official, adding the company has been reviewing the feasibility of the line and market situation.

LG Chem, which has kept low profile while its rivals in Korean household corporate names Samsung and SK have made headlines in bio breakthroughs or expansion, aims to initiate a phase 1 human clinical study of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate within this year after completing its ongoing preclinical tests of the hopeful, according to Son Ji-woong, head of the company’s life science business.

During a recent interview with Maeil Business Newspaper, Son said the investigational vaccine is being developed as a protein subunit vaccine like other COVID-19 shot hopefuls being addressed by SK Bioscience and GC Pharma.

A subunit vaccine is a fragment of a pathogen, typically a surface protein used to trigger an immune response with no viral replication in the body.

While developing its own COVID-19 vaccine internally, LG Chem will push for a CMO deal for commissioned production with other vaccine developers at home and abroad to ensure fast supply around the world, Son said, citing the company’s production expertise and capacity proven with various vaccines and popular diabetes drug Zemiglo.

In addition, LG Chem will remain active in open innovation to bring in candidate molecules from outside for internal development, while focusing its mainstay therapeutic areas on oncology and metabolic disease.

The company has so far secured 40 hopefuls in the pipeline, eight of which have been introduced from outside since Nov. 2018.

One of the candidates closest to market is a head and neck cancer med in-licensed from U.S. biotech startup Q Biopharma. The compound, which is under phase 1 trial in the U.S., will be a first-in-class drug whose mechanism of action is lesion-specific immunity activation to fight cancer, Son said

After the merger with LG Life Sciences, LG Chem raised its R&D spending from 15 percent to 25 percent against sales over the past three years. LG Chem’s sales target for life science business is 660 billion won ($556 million) this year.

2020/9/17   LG Chemが電池部門を分社化　

韓国のLG Chemは9月17日、世界シェア首位のバッテリー部門を分社化して、完全子会社にすると発表した。
電気自動車の普及を追い風に、同社のバッテリー部門は今年4〜6月期に黒字転換しており、単独経営も可能だと判断した。大型投資を加速させるため、新規株式公開による資金調達も狙う 。

12月1日にバッテリー事業を手掛ける「LG Energy Solution（仮称）」を発足させる。新会社ではバッテリーの製造をはじめ、保守点検やリース、再利用など幅広く事業を展開していく。

昨年の売上高 8兆3,100億ウォン 、本年13兆ウォンを2024年には30兆ウォン以上に引き上げる計画だ。

2020.09.17

LG Chem Splits Battery Business   “Foster into the World’s Best Energy Solution Company”

■ Enhance corporate value and stockholder value through concentration on the business area of expertise

■ Physical division where LG Chem possesses 100% of new battery corporation
  - Official launching of the new battery corporation ‘LG Energy Solutions (tentative name)’ from December 1ecember 1ecember 1ecember 1ecember 1

■ Expected to strengthen expertise in business sector and improve operational efficiency

■ Foster the new corporation into the world’s best energy solution company with sales exceeding 30 trillion KRW by 20204  

LG Chem will split its global NO.1 battery business.

Regarding this, LG Chem announced on that it held a board meeting on the 17th and resolved a corporate spin-off plan to raise corporate value and stockholder value by concentrating on the business area of expertise.

　

Accordingly, LG Chem plans to receive approval from the extraordinary meeting of stockholders on October 30 and officially launch ‘LG Energy Solution (tentative)’ as a new corporation exclusively in charge of the battery business from December 1.

　

This will be a physical division in which LG Chem will possess all of the stocks issued by the new battery corporation and LG Chem will possess 100% of the non-listed shares of the new corporation.

Regarding this corporate spin-off, LG Chem said, “We came to the judgment that this is the right time for the corporate spin-off as the battery industry is growing rapidly and structural profits in the EV battery sector are being made in earnest,”
And added, “The corporate spin-off will make it possible to focus on the specialized business areas and enhance management efficiency, thereby upgrading corporate value and stockholder value.”

Regarding the physical division method that will be used, it was stated, “Improved corporate value through the growth of the new corporation will also have a positive impact on the mother company, and we also considered the advantages from the synergy effects of the two companies such as R&D cooperation as well as association of battery materials businesses such as anode materials.”

　

LG Chem plans to foster the new corporation to achieve sales of over 30 trillion KRW in 2024 and become the world’s best energy solutions company based on batteries. The expected revenue of the new corporation is around 13 trillion KRW this year.

Regarding the IPO (initial public offering) of the new corporation, it stated that “Nothing is confirmed as of now and we plan to continuously review it in the future.”

It added, “Cash generated from business activities will be used as the facility investment funds according to the increase of EV demands and since LG Chem possesses 100% of the shares, it will be possible to procure the funds using various methods.”

Background and Effects of Split-Off

The reason why LG Chem decided to split the company because it judged that this is the optimal point in time to reevaluate the corporate value and maximize stockholder value considering the performance of the battery business and the market situation.

　

In fact, LG Chem created the foundation for creating structural profits in the EV battery business and posted its highest operating profit in the battery business.

　

Furthermore, it has currently procured more than 150 trillion KRW in orders on hand in the EV battery business and it is investing over 3 trillion KRW annually in facilities, and therefore, the need to procure large investment funds in a timely fashion has also increased.

　

Through this division, it will be possible to attract large investments, while easing financial burdens by establishing an independent financial structure system for each business sector.

Another reason for this division is the need for prompt decision-making to respond to the rapidly changing market, as well as the rising need for flexible organizational operation.

Through this corporate spin-off, LG Chem will be able to receive appropriate evaluation of business value for each of its business fields including the battery business. In addition, the increased corporate value with the growth of the new corporation will make it possible to increase corporate value of the mother company while maximizing stockholder value.

　

In addition, it is expected that it will be possible to focus capacities on areas of expertise while allowing independent and prompt decision-making according to the business features, while upgrading management and operational efficiency.

　

LG Chem plans to foster the new corporation to become the world’s best energy solutions company for not only battery materials, cells, pack manufacturing and sales, but also to have distinguished competitiveness in the E-platform sector that offers various services throughout the lifetime of batteries such as battery care/lease/charging/reuse.

Moreover, by concentrating investments where needed and at the right time for the petrochemicals, advanced materials, and bio sectors, it plans to establish itself as a ‘Global Top 5 Chemical Company’ with balanced business portfolios together with the battery business.

 

               Farm Hannong    2016/1/18  LG Chem、農業化学に進出

 

https://www.nna.jp/news/show/2095547

LG化学のバッテリー部門は売上高全体の３割強を占める。収益面では先行投資がかさんだため営業赤字が続いていたが、今年４〜６月期には黒字転換して収益化にもめどが立ち始めている。分社化を機に、化学事業とバッテリー事業をすみ分けて事業の専門性と運用効率の向上を図る。

新会社の設立後にはＩＰＯも目指す。これまでは主力の石油化学部門で稼いだ分をバッテリー投資に回してきたが、ＩＰＯを実現させて自前で資金を賄いたい考えだ。

LG化学のＥＶバッテリーの受注残高は昨年時点で150兆ウォンに上っており、計画通り供給するためには、工場の新設や増設などで毎年３兆ウォン以上の投資が必要とされる。韓国経済新聞によると、新会社の企業価値は50兆ウォン前後で、ＩＰＯを果たせば10兆ウォン以上の資金が調達できる見通しだという。

LG化学が分割されるバッテリー新設法人の発行済み株式総数を保有する物的分割で、LG化学が非上場新設法人の株式の１００％を持つことになる。

　LG化学は今回の会社分割について「バッテリー産業の急速な成長とＥＶ向けバッテリー分野の構造的な利益創出が本格化している現時点が、会社分割の適期だと判断した」と説明。その上で、「会社分割によって専門事業分野に集中することができ、経営の効率も一段と高まるため、企業価値と株主価値を向上させられるだろう」と期待を示した。

　LG化学は、新設法人をバッテリーを中心とする世界トップのエネルギーソリューション企業に育成する計画だ。２０２４年に３０兆ウォン（約２兆７０００億円）以上の売上高を目指す。新設法人の新規株式公開（ＩＰＯ）時期は未定で、今後継続して検討していく予定だという。

　

■欧米でシェア７割確保

  AESC ： 2018/8/7   日産自動車とNEC、バッテリー事業を譲渡

韓国の市場調査会社ＳＮＥリサーチによると、LG化学は今年１〜７月のＥＶ用バッテリー市場でのシェア（出荷量ベース）が25.1％で世界首位だ。ＥＶメーカー最大手の米テスラの「モデル３」をはじめ、独ＢＭＷや独フォルクスワーゲン（ＶＷ）の新型ＥＶへの供給が拡大。とりわけ欧州市場では生産量ベースで70％のシェアを握るなど、存在感を高めている。

ＳＮＥリサーチの金グァンジュ代表はＮＮＡに対し、「欧米や国内市場に幅広く供給網を持つLGの優位は、当面続くだろう」と話す。

　

■ＣＡＴＬも増産へ資金調達

一方、ライバルとなる中国の寧徳時代新能源科技（ＣＡＴＬ）も投資拡大に積極的だ。韓国経済新聞によると、年間生産量を現在の60ギガワット時（ＧＷｈ）から23年には150ＧＷｈまで引き上げる計画だ。中国で新エネルギー車への補助金が縮小されたため目下の生産量は落ち込んでいるが、海外での社債発行などで投資資金の確保に動いている。

LGの新会社も21年末には年間生産量を120ＧＷｈに拡大する予定で、持続的に生産力を高めていく方針だ。環境規制が強化される各国でＥＶの普及が促される中、LGやＣＡＴＬなどバッテリー各社の増産競争は一段と激しさを増すことになりそうだ。

The recall covers the Bolt EV produced from 2017 to 2019, installed with LG Chem’s batteries made from Ochang, 120 kilometers south of Seoul.

The measure came amid concerns that the batteries could cause fires when fully charged. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched investigations into three fire cases from the EVs.

The U.S. automotive giant has also developed software that limits battery charges to 90 percent of their capacity, it added. The program will be gradually updated for automobiles, starting with North America next week.

GM Korea, the South Korean unit, said there have been no fire cases reported from the Bolt EVs sold over the period. Nevertheless, the unit will also cooperate with related authorities to take preemptive measures, it added.

The company, meanwhile, advised customers to change their charging settings to either “hill top reserve” or “target change level” options, which will limit the charging capacity to 90 percent.

GMは火災発生の恐れがあるとして韓国製バッテリーを装備した電気自動車をリコールすることにした。

リコール対象は2017〜2019年に生産されたシボレー「ボルト」の電気自動車のうちLG Chemのバッテリーが搭載された6万8600台だ。このうち米国で販売されたものは5万900台ほどと把握された。

ロイターは、ボルトＥＶに装着された高電圧バッテリーはLG化学梧倉（オチャン）工場で生産されたものと伝えた。

これに先立ち米道路交通安全局（NHTSA）は先月この電気自動車の後部座席下部から駐車中に火災が発生した事件について調査に着手した。

NHTSAはボルトＥＶの利用者に火災関連の問題が解決されるまで車を家から離れた屋外に駐車するよう勧告した。

ＧＭは該当モデルの自動車バッテリーが完全に充電された時に火災が発生する危険があると明らかにした。

正確な火災発生原因が明らかになるまでボルトＥＶのバッテリー充電量を９０％に制限する方針だ。

バッテリー充電量を制限するソフトウエアは来週から各代理店でアップデートされる。

ＧＭは「リコールされたすべての車に問題があるとは考えていえないが、予防次元から充電量を制限したもの」とメディアに明らかにした。

ロイターは他社の電気自動車も火災発生の危険があると報道した。これに先立ち、ＢＭＷ、フォード、現代自動車の一部電気自動車モデルも火災の危険性のためリコールが実施された。

フォードとＢＭＷがリコールする車に搭載されたバッテリーはサムスンSDI 製だ。

Ultium Cells LLC, a joint venture of LG Energy Solution and General Motors, today announced a more than $2.3 billion investment to build its second battery cell manufacturing plant in the United States. The facility will be located in Spring Hill, Tennessee.（GMの組み立て工場がある。）

Ultium Cells will build the new plant on land leased from GM. The new battery cell plant will create 1,300 new jobs. Construction on the approximately 2.8 million-square-foot facility will begin immediately, and the plant is scheduled to open in late 2023. Once operational, the facility will supply battery cells to GM’s Spring Hill assembly plant.

“The addition of our second all-new Ultium battery cell plant in the U.S. with our joint venture partner LG Energy Solution is another major step in our transition to an all-electric future,” said GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra. “The support of the state of Tennessee was an important factor in making this investment in Spring Hill possible and this type of support will be critical moving forward as we continue to take steps to transition our manufacturing footprint to support EV production.”

“This partnership with General Motors will transform Tennessee into another key location for electric vehicle and battery production. It will allow us to build solid and stable U.S-based supply chains that enable everything from research, product development and production to the procurement of raw components,” LG Energy Solution President and CEO Jonghyun Kim said. "Importantly, I truly believe this coming together transcends a partnership as it marks a defining moment that will reduce emissions and help to accelerate the adoption of EVs.”

The state-of-the-art Spring Hill plant will use the most advanced and efficient battery cell manufacturing processes. The plant will be extremely flexible and able to adapt to ongoing advances in technology and materials.

GM’s proprietary Ultium battery technology is at the heart of the company’s strategy to compete for nearly every EV customer in the marketplace, whether they are looking for affordable transportation, luxury vehicles, work trucks, commercial trucks or high-performance machines.

Ultium batteries are unique in the industry because the large-format, pouch-style cells can be stacked vertically or horizontally inside the battery pack. This allows engineers to optimize battery energy storage and layout for each vehicle design. Energy options range from 50 to 200 kilowatt hours, which could enable a GM-estimated range up to 450 miles or more on a full charge with 0-60 mph acceleration in 3 seconds¹.

GM’s future Ultium-powered EVs are designed for Level 2 and DC fast charging. Most will have 400-volt battery packs and up to 200 kW fast charging capability while GM's truck platform will have 800-volt battery packs and 350 kW fast charging capability.

With a 30-year history in the battery business, LG Energy Solution has made consistent, large-scale investments to accumulate enough stability, credibility and manufacturing experience to invent its own cutting-edge technologies. The company established its first research facility in the U.S. in the early 2000s. In 2010, the company built its first U.S battery plant in Holland, Michigan.

Through Ultium Cells, LG Energy Solution and GM will merge their advanced technologies and capabilities to help accelerate automotive electrification.

General Motors has made several announcements in the last 18 months that underscore its commitment to an all-electric, zero-emissions future, including:

• GM committed more than $27 billion to EV and AV product development, including $7 billion in 2021, and plans to launch 30 EVs globally by the end of 2025, with more than two-thirds available in North America. Cadillac, GMC, Chevrolet and Buick will all be represented, with EVs at all price points for work, adventure, performance and family use.
• In January 2021, GM unveiled BrightDrop, a new business that aims to electrify and improve the delivery of goods and services by offering an ecosystem of electric first-to-last-mile products, software and services to help empower delivery and logistics companies to move goods more efficiently.
• In October 2020, GM announced it would invest $2 billion in its Spring Hill, Tennessee assembly plant to begin the transition to become the company’s third vehicle manufacturing site to produce electric vehicles, joining Factory ZERO in Detroit and Hamtramck, Michigan, and Orion Assembly in Orion Township, Michigan. The all-new Cadillac LYRIQ will be the first EV produced at GM’s Spring Hill assembly plant. Production of the Cadillac XT6 and XT5 will continue at Sp
• ring Hill.
• GM’s zero-emissions technology will extend to fuel cells as the company announced it will supply its Hydrotec fuel cell power cubes to Navistar for use in its production model fuel cell electric vehicle.
• In January 2020, GM announced it was investing more than $2 billion in its Factory ZERO, formerly the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant. Factory ZERO will be GM’s first plant that is 100 percent devoted to electric vehicles, and in fall 2021 will start production of the new GMC HUMMER EV pickup.  In addition, Factory ZERO will also build the HUMMER EV SUV and the Chevrolet Silverado electric pickup truck.
• In 2019, GM announced the formation of Ultium Cells LLC, a joint venture with LG Energy Solution,  to mass-produce battery cells in Lordstown, Ohio, for future battery-electric vehicles. Construction of the $2.3 billion facility is well underway.

General Motors is a global company focused on advancing an all-electric future that is inclusive and accessible to all. At the heart of this strategy is the Ultium battery platform, which powers everything from mass-market to high-performance vehicles. General Motors, its subsidiaries and its joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Baojun and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety and security services, can be found at https://www.gm.com.

LG Energy Solution is a global leading battery maker providing the best solutions within the energy sector for a better world. Based on our 30 years of R&D experience, we deliver the most advanced batteries that have been infused with cutting-edge technologies to EVs, Energy Storage Systems (ESS) and Mobility & IT applications across the world. LG Energy Solution’s Advanced Automotive Battery leads the market with its outstanding technologies and products. Home to the world's first EV battery lineup, we provide the best battery solutions for EVs worldwide. For more information about LG Energy Solution, please visit https://www.lgensol.com.

¹Actual range will vary based on several factors, including temperature, terrain, battery age, vehicle model, loading, use and maintenance.

30 Jul 2021                                             1ウオン＝0.095円　　10 trillion KRW（10兆ウオン）＝9500億円

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

2021.07.14 　
　

LG Chem To Invest 10 Trillion KRW In New Growth Engines Such As Eco-friendly Materials, Battery Materials By 2025

　

LG Chem Chief Executive Officer Hak Cheol Shin holds press conference

LG化学、電池素材などに10兆ウォン投資

韓国化学大手のLG化学は14日、「ＥＳＧ（環境・社会・企業統治）」経営を基盤とした事業ポートフォリオへの転換を宣言した。それとともに電池素材に６兆ウォン（約5,800億円）、エコ素材に３兆ウォン、革新的な新薬に１兆ウォンなど、2025年までに合計10兆ウォンを投じると発表した。10兆ウォンのうち60％は韓国国内に、40％を海外に振り分ける計画だ。

電池素材分野では、正極材から分離膜、負極用バインダー、放熱接着剤、カーボンナノチューブ（ＣＮＴ）まで幅広く育成していく。

正極材事業については、世界市場の先取りを目標に年産６万トン規模の亀尾工場（慶尚北道亀尾市）を今年12月に着工する予定。完成すれば、他の増強も含めたLG化学の正極材生産能力は昨年の年４万トンから26年には26万トンに増強される。

このほか、分離膜事業の競争力強化に向けて、高い技術力を持つ企業を対象にした合併・買収（Ｍ＆Ａ）を検討している。世界での生産拠点拡充にも力を入れる。ＣＮＴの生産能力も、現在の年1,700トンから25年までに３倍以上に増強する計画だ。

３兆ウォンが投入されるエコ素材事業は、バイオ素材やリサイクルなどの育成に力を入れる。まずは廃食用油やパーム油など再生可能な植物性原料を使った高吸水性樹脂（ＳＡＰ）「Ｂｉｏ―ＳＡＰ」製品の生産を今月から本格化する。

ポリブチレンアジペートテレフタレート（ＰＢＡＴ）事業では、Ｍ＆Ａなどを通じて外部の技術を積極的に導入するのと並行し、今年中に生産設備の建設にも着手する計画だ。LG化学は「バイオプラスチック市場は昨年の12兆ウォン規模から25年には31兆ウォン規模に急成長が見込まれる。エコ原料の安定的な確保に向けて、国内外の原料企業との合弁なども積極的に検討中だ」と説明する。

生命科学事業は、30年までに革新的な新薬を２つ以上保有する世界的な新薬開発企業への成長を目指すとともに、米国や欧州などへの進出も模索する。

LG化学の辛学�普iシン・ハクチョル）副会長は「急速な市場の変化に対応するため、ＥＳＧを基盤にした事業のポートフォリオ転換は欠かせない。現在は、（ポートフォリオ転換に向けて）30件以上のＭ＆Ａや合弁を検討している」と述べた。

　

 ■ Declaration to switch business portfolio for sustainable growth

    - Petrochemicals: To lead sustainable business focusing on eco-friendly materials such as full-scaled production of Bio SAP

    - Advanced Materials:
　　　To grow into the world’s largest comprehensive battery materials company having all core battery materials such as separation membranes, cathode binders, and become no. 1 in the world for anodes

    - Life Sciences: To become a global pharmaceutical company with a minimum of 2 global innovative new drugs by 2030

　

■ Chief Executive Officer Hak Cheol Shin,

    - “Over 30 projects including M&As, joint ventures (JV), strategic investments, etc. to make a paradigm shift to an ESG-based business portfolio are being reviewed”

    - “This will be the most revolutionary change since the establishment of the company that will upgrade the value and sustainability of LG Chem,
　　and tangible achievements will become available from the second half of this year”

Chief Executive Officer Hak Cheol Shin announced investment plans worth 10 trillion KRW in ESG-based sustainable growth sectors.

Chief Executive Officer Shin stated LG Chem selected ▲eco-friendly sustainable business ▲e-mobility centering on battery materials ▲global innovative new drugs as the three major new growth engines, declaring that 10 trillion KRW will be invested in these fields by '25 at a press conference held online on the 14th.

　

Chief Executive Officer Shin said, “The standard for measuring competitiveness in the business world should be based on sustainability for revenue and operating profits, and this should be reflected in all business processes, strategy, and investment, etc.”

　

He added, “From this perspective, our business portfolio will be overhauled toward being based on ESG, while pursuing sustainable growth.”

　

■ New growth engine triangle - eco-friendly materials, battery materials, global innovative new drugs

LG Chem selected three new growth engines that will be in accordance with ESG, while maximizing the growth potential of existing businesses.

�@ Sustainability business centered on eco-friendly materials

Plans are to invest 3 trillion KRW in sustainable businesses such as bio materials, recycled materials, and renewable energy industry materials to build a platform for the future growth of the
Petrochemicals Company.

　

LG Chem plans to begin full-scale production of the world’s first bio-balanced SAP product that received ISCC Plus certification from this month, and supply them to global clients such as the US and Europe.

*SAP (Super Absorbent Polymer): Products manufactured with highly absorbent resins that can absorb water 200 times of its own weight commonly used for hygienic products including diapers

　

Bio-balanced SAP is an eco-friendly product manufactured using plant-based bio renewable materials such as waste cooking oil from Neste of Finland and fossil fuels together with base materials.

　

ISCC Plus is the most authoritative international certification in the world related to eco-friendly bio products. LG Chem acquired ISSC Plus certification for the entire value chain ranging from raw
materials to production, purchasing, and sales for a total of 9 bio-balanced products including SAP, PO, PC, etc.

*PO(Polyolefin): Raw material of plastic used in daily life such as PO (Polyolefin): PE (Polyethylene), PP (Polypropylene), etc.

*PC (Polycarbonate): Products with outstanding impact resistance and transparency, thus being used for interior and exterior materials for automobiles, household items, etc.

　

Biodegradable polymer PBAT is preparing to actively introduce technologies from outside companies and aiming to commence construction of production facilities within the year for rapid market
entry and to enhance its capacities.

*PBAT (Polybutylene Adipate-co-Terephthalate): Product used in agricultural and disposable films, etc. that quickly decomposes in nature through reactions with oxygen, heat, light and enzymes

　

The bio plastic market is expected to rapidly grow from 12 trillion KRW in 2020 to 31 trillion KRW by 2025. Therefore, JVs with domestic and foreign raw material companies are being actively pursued for stable sourcing of eco-friendly raw materials like PLA made with plant-based ingredients such as corn and bio naphtha.

*PLA (Poly Lactic Acid): Resin normally used for disposable packaging material that naturally decomposes as it is made with plant-based ingredients such as corn

　

It will also focus on enhancing its mechanical and chemical recycling capacities to build a circular economy for waste plastics. For mechanical recycling, plans are to strengthen the existing market
power of PC and ABS, while expanding the product portfolio to include PO and PVC, while increasing related product revenue by an annual average of more than 40% by 2025. For chemical recycling with high likeliness for long-term growth, the strategy entails finding and preoccupying platform technologies with good potential.

*ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene): High value-added synthetic resin with outstanding heat resistance and impact resistance, thus being used as interior and exterior materials for automobiles,
household appliances, and IT products

*PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride): Widely used thermoplastic applied in construction materials such as pipes and window frames, as well as household goods

　

Meanwhile, LG Chem is also establishing an eco-platform for 100% circulation of plastic resources for cosmetic product containers together with the start-up, innerbottle, to provide eco-friendly
packaging solutions, while also engaging in joint research to apply recycled plastic materials such as PCR (Post Consumer Recycle) ABS, etc. in cosmetic product containers.

　

Furthermore, it plans to actively look for new business opportunities in the renewable energy industry materials market such as POE/EVA for solar power panels. As the generation cost for renewable
energy such as solar power and wind power are becoming less expensive than fossil fuels in the US and China, renewable energy markets are growing rapidly.

*POE (Polyolefin Elastomer): LG Chem POE is a copolymer of ethylene using a unique metallocene catalyst and octene or ethylene and butene. This product is featured by reinforced impact resistance,
high elasticity, and low heat sealing temperature

*EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate): Copolymer of ethylene and VA. It is characterized by elasticity, thermal bonding temperature, durability, penetrating power, etc. that change depending on the VA content, and is used in various fields such as solar power sheets, shoe soles, etc.

　

�A E-Mobility centered on battery materials

In order to become the world’s no. 1 comprehensive battery material company, LG Chem plans to invest 6 trillion KRW and foster the portfolio widely ranging from anode materials, separation
membranes, cathode binders, radiant adhesives, CNT, etc.

Plans are to commence construction of the Gumi Plant with a 60,000-ton capacity in December for the anode material business with the goal of fostering the company into a global leader.
Through this, the anode production capacity of LG Chem will increase by roughly seven-fold from 40,000 tons in 2020 to 260,000 tons by 2026.

　

A JV is being prepared with a mining company for the stable supply of metals that will be used as the raw materials for anode materials. LG Chem will actively pursue cooperation in various ways
with companies possessing mining, smelting and refining technologies to strengthen its metal sourcing competitiveness.

　

For the separation membrane business, LG Chem is reviewing M&As and JVs with companies having marketability such as technologies and clients to quickly enhance business capacities, while also
planning to build a global production base as soon as possible.

　

For products such as anode materials, cathode binders, and radiant adhesives, LG Chem plans to preemptively focus R&D resources to differentiate its technologies and acquire market leadership.
This is because in the battery materials market that is expected to grow quickly from 39 trillion KRW in 2021 to 100 trillion KRW by 2026, it is anticipated that demands for material innovation will
strengthen for the sake of improving performance and cutting costs.

*Binder: Fixes active materials on copper laminates when charging and discharging are repeated

*Radiant adhesive: Material that connects EV battery modules to emit heat generated in the battery cell to the outside, while also fixing the battery cell against external impact and vibration

In order to keep up with the market forecast for battery materials that are growing at a rapid pace, the company plans to expand the CNT production scale of the Petrochemicals Company from 1,700 tons in 2021 to triple or more by 2025. LG Chem expanded its production capacity by completing the CNT Plant 2 capable of producing 1,200 tons per year to target the anode conductive additive
market for lithium-ion batteries in April, while continuously expanding production capacities such as making preparations to start construction of Plant 3 within this year.

CNT (Carbon Nanotube): A new material having the same electric and heat conductivity equivalent to copper and diamonds, and its intensity is 100 times that of steel.

*Conductive Additive: Material that helps with the flow of electricity and electrons and it is used as an additive throughout lithium-ion batteries. In particular, it enhances conductivity of lithium-ions inside the
anode material that is composed of active materials such as nickel, cobalt, and manganese, thereby improving charging/discharging efficiency

�B Global innovative new drugs

The Life Sciences Company will invest more than 1 trillion KRW in the new drug business alone with the goal of becoming a global new drug company holding two or more new innovative drugs by 2030 to enter advanced markets such as the US and Europe.

　

The Life Sciences Company has accelerated efforts to develop new drugs by expanding the new drug pipelines from 34 in 2019 to 45 as of now in 2021 and focusing on R&D investment.

　

In particular, the Life Sciences Company is concentrating its development capacities in the four strategic disease groups of diabetes, metabolism, anti-cancer, and immunity, which has strengths in.
Plans are to expand new drug pipelines that entered the clinical development stage from 11 in 2021 to 17 by 2025.

　

For this, it is actively reviewing various open innovation strategies including M&As and the establishment of JVs, while also establishing a research firm in the US and continuously procuring
personnel with expertise in clinical studies/licensing to further strengthen its global clinical development capacities.

　

Chief Executive Officer Hak Cheol Shin commented, “It is essential to switch the business portfolio based on ESG to respond to the market and clients that are rapidly changing.”

　

He added, “There are currently over 30 projects including M&As, joint ventures (JV), strategic investments, etc. under review to cooperate with external companies having the relevant technologies and clients.”

　

Chief Executive Officer Shin also stated, “As the most revolutionary change since the establishment of the company that will upgrade the value and sustainability of LG Chem has already begun,
tangible achievements will become available from the second half of this year.”

 

<Reference1> Investment plans worth 10 trillion KRW in ESG-based sustainable growth sectors.

Growth engine	Size of investment	Content
Sustainability business centered on eco-friendly materials	3 trillion KRW	ㆍ Full-scale production of the world’s first bio-balanced SAP ㆍ building a circular economy for waste plastics ㆍ Promotion of renewable energy industry materials businesses
E-Mobility centered on battery materials	6 trillion KRW	ㆍ Development of global top-tier of anode materials ㆍ Fast entry into the market for separator business ㆍ More than tripled CNT production from 1,700 tons in 21 years ㆍ Research and development of anode materials, cathode binders, heat-resisting adhesives, etc.
Global innovative new drugs	1 trillion KRW	ㆍ global new drug · Top 45 new drug pipelines in Korea ㆍ Expansion of new drug pipelines in clinical stages such as diabetes, metabolism, anti-cancer, and immunity ㆍ Global clinical development & business acceleration

LG Energy Solution inks deal with Australian mining company for nickel and cobalt
Aria Alamalhodaei@breadfrom / 6:08 AM GMT+9•August 17, 2021
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2021/8/17　LG Energy Solution inks deal with Australian mining company for nickel and cobalt　

South Korea’s LG Energy Solution has entered into a six-year agreement with an Australian mining company for cobalt and nickel, securing a stable supply of key minerals to make electric vehicle batteries.

LG Energy, a subsidiary of LG Chem, will purchase 71,000 dry metric tons of nickel and 7,000 dry metric tons of cobalt from Australian Mines Limited starting from the end of 2024. That’s enough raw material to make batteries for 1.3 million EVs with a driving range of over 310 miles per charge.

“Securing key raw materials and a responsible battery supply chain has become a critical element in gaining a greater control within the industry, as the demand for electric vehicles worldwide heightened in recent years,” LG Energy Solution CEO Jong-hyun Kim said in a statement.

The materials will be sourced from Australian Mines’ $1.5 billion Sconi Project based in Queensland, which is currently under development. The site will use a “dry stacking method” to store filtered tailings, an alternative and more eco-friendly way to manage waste from a mining site. Instead of dumping tailings into local water sources or burying them in underground quarries, dry stacking removes the water from the waste, leaving a sand-like substance that can be securely stored in management facilities.

“Although more costly compared to the conventional method due to construction and maintenance expenses, the dry stacking method is deemed an environmentally friendly way to extract raw materials,” LG Energy said in a statement.

The sole condition to the agreement is that Australian Mines secure financing for the construction of the project before the end of June next year. If secured, the agreement would account for all of the anticipated output of the site.

The two companies have the option to extend the agreement by another five years by mutual agreement.

LG Energy is a subsidiary of LG Chem, one of the world’s largest producers of batteries and battery materials. Last month, the company said it had earmarked ₩6 trillion ($5.2 billion) in its battery businesses, specifically the production of anode materials, separation membranes and cathode binders. Earlier this summer, it also entered into an agreement with Queensland Pacific Metals valued at ₩12 billion ($10.3 million), for 7,000 tons of nickel and 700 tons of cobalt per year over a 10-year period.

LG Chem counts Volkswagen, General Motors and Tesla amongst its customers. It said it anticipates the global battery market only expanding in the coming years, from ₩39 trillion ($34 billion) in 2021 to ₩100 trillion ($87 billion) by 2026.

It isn’t the only major player vying to secure sources of raw materials. In a move to obtain its own battery source, Tesla inked a deal with commodity production giant BHP in July for nickel from its mines in Western Australian.

OEMs are also partnering with battery makers to develop batteries — LG Chem included, as is the case with the joint venture between the conglomerate and General Motors, Ultium Cells.

　

Dec 15, 2021 

LG Chem, LG Energy Solution acquire 2.6% stake in Canada’s Li-Cycle Holdings

LG Group’s chemicals and battery units, LG Chem and LG Energy Solution, said Wednesday that they had acquired a 2.6 percent stake in Canadian battery recycling company Li-Cycle Holdings by investing 30 billion won ($25.3 million) each.

Li-Cycle, based in Toronto, operates North America’s largest lithium-ion battery recycling facility. The firm recycles waste from the EV battery manufacturing process and recovers battery metals for reuse.

The Canadian firm recently issued new shares as part of its processing expansion of its Rochester, New York, facility to better meet the growing demands from carmakers, and the LG duo made an equity investment worth a combined 60 billion won to secure a footing in the burgeoning market.

The two Korean firms also signed a separate deal with Li-Cycle to be supplied with 20,000 tons of recycled nickel for 10 years from 2023 -- an amount that can be used to produce 80-kilowatt-hour batteries for some 300,000 EVs.

With the latest deal, the two firms said they will be able to respond more preemptively to tougher ESG-related regulations in the US and other advanced markets.

LG Energy Solution, in particular, said it will be creating its own closed-loop battery ecosystem by recycling and reusing battery waste at all its production facilities by 2025.

Dec 29, 2021

LG Chem to invest W475b for cathode materials plant in S. Korea

2022.06.02 

中央日報日本語版2022.10.19 

LG化学、米国抗がんバイオ企業のAVEO Pharmaceuticalsを5億6600万ドルで買収

LG化学は１８日、腎臓がん治療剤を保有する米国の製薬会社AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc を買収すると明らかにした。買収金額は5億6600万ドル（約842億円）で、AVEOの株式100％を確保することになる。AVEOは昨年米食品医薬品局（ＦＤＡ）から腎臓がん標的治療剤「フォティブダ」の承認を受け、８月には米国抗がん剤治療ガイドラインの「勧告薬剤地位」を取得した。

難治性の進行性腎細胞癌の治療に用いるVEGFRチロシンキナーゼ阻害経口薬FOTIVDA

LG化学は今回の買収で米国内の抗がん剤商業化力と独自開発新薬に対する市場を確保することになった。LG化学のシン・ハクチョル副会長は「今回の買収決定はLG化学のバイオ事業４０年以上の歴史で最も重要な里程標で、世界への跳躍の軸を用意することになった。米国商業化能力を持続強化し現地売り上げ拡大を積極的に進め、抗がん剤中心の米国の臨床・許可能力を高めてグローバル革新製薬会社としての跳躍にスピードを出すだろう」と話した。

2002年にボストンで設立されたAVEOは抗がん剤市場に特化した力を持つ製薬会社で、2010年にナスダックに上場した。現在頭頸部がん治療剤臨床３相を進めるなど、3件の新薬開発研究開発プロジェクトを進行中だ。LG化学は同社が今年1500億ウォン（約155億円）の売り上げを上げるとみており、米証券会社のコンセンサスによると2027年には売り上げ規模が5000億ウォンまで成長する見通しだ。

買収はLG化学が米マサチューセッツ州ボストンにあるバイオ子会社のLG CBL（LG化学生命科学革新センター）に買収資金を出し、これを使ってLG CBLが特定目的会社（SPC）を設立する方式で進める。AVEOの株主総会と外国人投資審議委員会の承認などの手続きが残っているが、合併完了まで３〜６カ月ほどかかる見通しだ。

LG化学はLGエネルギーソリューションを物的分割した後、エコ素材、電池素材、グローバル新薬の３大新成長動力を基盤に海外競争力確保を推進してきた。

シン副会長は２月の投資家説明会でも「エコ素材と電池素材、新薬の３大新事業を基盤に２０３０年まで売り上げ６０兆ウォンを上げたい」と明らかにしたが、今回のAVEO買収で新薬部門のグローバル事業の軸を立てることになった。LG化学はAVEOの商業化と臨床能力をベースに２０２７年に生命科学部門の売り上げを２兆ウォンまで引き上げる計画だ。
　

January 19, 2023 　　↑

LG Chem Completes Acquisition of AVEO Oncology

AVEO to Become the U.S. Foundation for LG Chem Life Sciences’ Oncology Division

LG Chem, Ltd. (“LG Chem”)  today announced that it has completed its previously announced acquisition of AVEO Oncology (“AVEO”), a commercial stage, oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company committed to delivering medicines that provide a better life for patients with cancer, in an all-cash transaction with an implied equity value of $571M on a fully diluted basis.　

“We are excited to complete LG Chem’s acquisition of AVEO, which will position us to deliver on our mission of becoming one of the world’s leading oncology companies with a robust clinical pipeline of innovative therapies,” said Shin Hak-Cheol, Chief Executive Officer of LG Chem.

AVEO plans to accelerate the commercialization of new anti-cancer drugs developed by LG Chem Life Sciences. With strong capabilities in early-stage R&D and production process, LG Chem Life Sciences will be positioned to pursue promising anti-cancer therapies and commercial processes for pre-clinical and early clinical trials, while AVEO, with its broad expertise in clinical development and sales in the U.S. market, will oversee clinical development and commercialization.

“The merger extends LG Chem Life Sciences’ commercial footprint to the U.S., diversifies our pipeline and advances our combined capabilities with AVEO, accelerating our ability to develop, commercialize and acquire world-class cancer therapies,” said Dr. Son Jeewoong, President of LG Chem Life Sciences. “We look forward to working closely with AVEO’s experienced and talented team as we welcome them to the LG Chem family.”

“This transaction delivered significant value to our shareholders and AVEO is now positioned to benefit from the support and resources of LG Chem as we advance our mission of improving the lives of patients with cancer,” said Michael Bailey, President and Chief Executive Officer of AVEO. “We look forward to our next chapter of growth as we realize the tremendous potential of our promising pipeline and leverage our combined capabilities to deliver continued progress across our clinical and pre-clinical stage anti-cancer therapies.”

　

中央日報　2022.11.22

cleantechnica.com

The Inflation Reduction Act continues to drive new investment in America, just as it was intended to do. LG Chem announced this week it will build a new $3 billion cathode manufacturing facility in Clarksville, Tennessee. When complete, it will be the largest factory of its kind in the United States.

The Clarksville facility will cover 420 acres and is expected to produce 120,000 tons of cathode material annually when it reaches full production in 2027. That’s enough to power 1.2 million electric vehicles with batteries large enough for a range of 300 miles or more.

Construction of the plant will begin in the first quarter of 2023, with mass production to start in the second half of 2025. The Tennessee site will play a critical role in LG Chem’s strategy to increase its battery materials business, including cathode materials, by a factor of four.

After reviewing possible locations for the new factory, LG Chem determined that Tennessee was the best choice due to its proximity to key customers and ease of transporting raw materials. The active cooperation of the state and local governments also contributed to the decision.The company said in a press release sent to CleanTechnica that the Tennessee facility allows LG Chem to proactively address the changing dynamics of the global battery material market in accordance with legislation such as the Inflation Reduction Act.

In addition to the benefits realized by investing in manufacturing on US soil, LG Chem envisions the Tennessee site being the supply chain hub where material and recycling partners work together to supply global customers, including General Motors and Tesla. The company has already selected Li-Cycle as its battery recycling partner.

The new facility will produce advanced NCMA cathode materials containing nickel, cobalt, manganese, and aluminum for next-generation EV batteries with improved battery capacity and stability. The company says NCMA cathode materials are among the most critical ingredients for determining the battery capacity and life of electric vehicles.

The Tennessee plant will feature LG Chem’s most advanced production technology, including the ability to produce more than 10,000 tons of cathode material per line, the highest throughput in the industry. LG Chem applied this technology for the first time to its fourth cathode manufacturing site in Cheongju, South Korea, with much success.

The company also plans to implement its smart factory technology in Tennessee to automate the entire production process and establish a quality analysis and control system that will be the benchmark for all other cathode plants in the world.The new facility will be designed with the environment and future needs of clean energy in mind. LG Chem will collaborate with power suppliers in Tennessee to respond to the demands of customers, including battery and electric vehicle manufacturers, for more renewable energy sources. Operation of the new facility will rely completely on renewable energy provided by solar and hydroelectric power.

“LG Chem’s decision to invest USD 3.2 billion in Clarksville is a testament to Tennessee’s unmatched business climate, skilled workforce and position as a leader in the automotive industry,” said Tennessee governor Bill Lee. “I thank this company for creating more than 850 new jobs to provide opportunity to Tennesseans across Montgomery County.”

“The new cathode manufacturing facility in Tennessee brings us one step closer to becoming the world’s best battery materials manufacturer and fulfilling our corporate vision to become a top global science company,” said CEO Shin of LG Chem. “This site will be the North American manufacturing center of excellence for the cathode supply chain and lead to the creation of many well paying jobs, contributing to the local economy in Clarksville.”

The Inflation Reduction Act Is Working

The Biden Bunch wanted to boost US manufacturing in the electric vehicle sector, and the Inflation Reduction Act is making that happen. Some my quibble that NCMA batteries may not be the direction the industry is going in as more LFP batteries are being specified by several manufacturers. But if LG Chem, the second largest battery manufacturer in the world, is putting up $3 billion to build this factory, it probably has done its homework.

The good news is the jobs that are needed to make the EV revolution relevant to working Americans are starting to appear. Once communities become invested in the transition to electric transportation, some of the FUD about EVs should start to disappear. It’s hard to disparage an industry that is putting food on your table.

Plastics Today staff | Nov 25, 2022        

LG Chem Targets Polycarbonate Production Via Carbon Capture

After constructing the 1,000-tonnes/year pilot facility in 2023, the Korean company plans to verify carbon mitigation values and catalyst performance with the intent to expand scope by 2026.

Korea’s LG Chem plans to construct an innovative carbon mitigation facility that will produce raw materials for plastics using carbon dioxide to build its foundation to achieve 2050 Net Zero.

The company will construct a Dry Reforming of Methane (DRM) facility, which can produce plastics using carbon dioxide captured at the plant and the byproduct gas, methane.

Dry reforming of methane (DRM) is the process of converting methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) into synthesis gas (syngas, H2 + CO)

The DRM facility will be constructed as a 1,000-tonne/year pilot plant at the Daesan site of LG Chem by 2023. After verifying the process technologies and catalysts developed using proprietary technologies, plans are to expand its scale by 2026.

DRM is a type of carbon dioxide, capture, and utilization (CCU) technology that reduces carbon dioxide emissions by more than 50% while producing resins such as polycarbonates. The company will build this DRM plant using proprietary technologies instead of externally licensed technologies, even developing catalysts essential for carbon dioxide conversion using its own methods. LG Chem is the first in Korea to commercialize DRM facilities using proprietary technology–based processes and catalysts.

Until now, it was challenging to commercialize DRM due to issues with catalyst performance dropping quickly during operation. However, LG Chem applied proprietarily developed processes and catalyst technologies to address this issue, thereby significantly strengthening the durability of catalysts.

LG Chem established a new organization dedicated to the catalyst business to internalize catalyst production technologies in 2019. To date, the company has developed and launched catalysts for products such as polyolefin elastomers and carbon nanotubes.

Kuk Lae Noh, President of LG Chem’s Petrochemicals Co., stated, “LG Chem does intend to be bound within the traditional petrochemical industry structure but is continuously striving to take a leading role in carbon mitigation and sustainable innovative technologies in the global chemical industry.”

2022/11/24     LG Chem、米国に正極材工場建設

　

2023/6/20 The Korea Economic Daily 

LG to slim down petrochem as Chinese rivals creep up

South Korea’s LG Chem Ltd. is speeding up restructuring efforts to sell or downsize uncompetitive businesses, with an aim to focus on three growth drivers: battery materials, eco-friendly businesses and new drug development.

Earlier this month, it sold the in vitro diagnostics business of its life science division to Seoul-based Glenwood Private Equity for 150 billion won ($117 million).

         
Now it is seeking to offload a minority stake in LG Energy Solution Ltd. to raise about 2 trillion won. LG Chem owns 81.84% of LG Energy, the world’s second-largest rechargeable battery maker.