Ube Industries to Expand Production Capacity of Lithium-Ion Battery Separators

TOKYO, September 15, 2015 _ Ube Industries, Ltd. announced today that it has decided to expand its production capacity for lithium-ion battery separators by rebuilding existing facilities at its Ube Chemical Factory (Ube City, Yamaguchi Prefecture) while also establishing new production facilities for separators at Sakai Factory (Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture). The Company is taking these actions in response to growing demand for separators for automotive-use lithium-ion batteries.

東京，2015年9月15日_宇部興產有限公司今天宣布，公司正采取行動以應對不斷增長的汽車用鋰離子電池隔膜市場需求，公司已決定擴大現有宇部化工廠鋰離子電池隔膜產能，同時在酒井法子(酒井法子城市大阪縣)建立新的生產工廠。

Ube Industries began manufacturing separators at the Ube Chemical Factory in 1994. It has gradually increased production capacity at the site in line with the expanding market for lithium-ion batteries. The Company also started production of separators at Sakai Factory in 2013. With these two factories in Japan, the Company has delivered a stable supply of products while responding to growing demand.

宇部興產1994年開始制造鋰電池隔膜，逐漸增加現場生產能力以適應鋰電池市場擴張。公司于2013年在酒井法子開始生產隔膜。這兩個工廠在日本，公司推出穩定供應的產品，應對日益增長的需求。

Demand for lithium-ion batteries used in automotive applications is projected to increase greatly, especially for hybrid vehicles (HVs), plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHVs), and electric vehicles (EVs). Likewise, further advances in the development of lithium-ion batteries for electricity storage and industrial applications are expected in the future.

   鋰離子電池在汽車市場需求方面的應用預計將大大增加，特別是對于混合動力汽車(HVs)，插電式混合動力車(PHVs)和電動車(EVs)。同樣，未來鋰離子電池將廣泛應用于電力存儲和工業應用。

Ube Industries' separator products are manufactured using a unique dry process, and they are already used widely in automotive applications. In 2011, the Company established Ube Maxell Co., Ltd. (Otokuni-gun, Kyoto Prefecture), a joint venture with Hitachi Maxell, Ltd. By combining the advanced technological expertise of the two founding companies, Ube Maxell manufactures high-performance coated separator films with diverse functions, including excellent reliability. Ube Maxell has also steadily increased its sales volume by taking advantage of market growth in and outside of Japan.

日本宇部興產的隔膜產品，制造時運用獨特的干燥過程，產品已廣泛應用在汽車領域。2011年，該公司成立了宇部萬勝有限公司(Otokuni-gun、京都縣)，與日立萬勝合資有限公司通過合并兩個創始公司的先進技術經驗，宇部萬勝從而產出的高性能涂層隔膜，具有不同的功能，以及優秀的可靠性。宇部萬勝也穩步增加對日本以外的市場供應。

As the first phase in its new plan to expand production capacity, Ube Industries will rebuild its existing facilities at the Ube Chemical Factory, a project which is scheduled for completion in July 2016. Following that, as the second phase of the plan, the Company will establish new production facilities at the Sakai Factory, a project which is scheduled for completion in June 2017. This two-phase expansion will increase the combined production capacity of the factories to 200 million square meters of separator film, about 40% more than the current level. By boosting production capacity, Ube Industries will be able to respond to growing demand for separators in a timely manner, establish a solid presence in this expanding market, and further lead market growth. The Company will also consider gradually increasing production capacity to 300 million square meters by around 2020, about double the current level.

   作為第一階段的產能擴張，宇部計劃重建其現有設備的宇部化學工廠，預計2016年7月完成。計劃的第二階段，該公司將在酒井法子工廠建立新的生產線，預計2017年6月落成。這兩階段的產能擴張將會增加工廠的綜合生產能力，隔膜產能達到2億平方米，比當前水平提升約40%。通過提高產能、宇部興產能夠及時應對隔膜市場的需求，從而實現增長。公司還將考慮逐漸增加3億平方米的隔膜生產能力，2020年左右產能達到當前水平的兩倍。

In its battery materials business, which is positioned as a strategic growth business, Ube Industries is working to expand its global sales of electrolytes by leveraging its expert ability to develop additive agents. The Company is also carrying out development of Artificial Micro Carbon (AMC) as a conductive agent for cathodes and anodes in lithium-ion batteries, and lithium titanium oxide (LTO) as an anode material. As the market for lithium-ion batteries for automotive applications is expected to keep growing globally, Ube Industries will strive to expand its battery materials business with a focus on such applications.

宇部興產電池材料業務定位為戰略業務增長，正在努力擴大其電解質的全球銷量，通過利用其專業能力發展電解質代理。公司還開發人工微碳（AMC）導電劑材料，以及鋰鈦氧化物（LTO）鋰電池陽極材料。電動汽車用鋰離子電池市場預計將持續增長，宇部興產將努力擴大其電池材料等重點業務。