Toray to Make EV Battery Components in Hungary

An anticipated surge in European demand for electric vehicles prompts a Japanese plastics specialist to expand its battery-related production into Hungary.  

Toray Industries has announced the establishment of a new production facility for battery separator film (BSF) for lithium-ion batteries in Nyergesújfalu. This facility will be located at its existing plant, which was established in April 2018 and is expected to begin operations in July 2021. 

The move is meant to increase the company’s total BSF production capacity about 20% and adds to its facilities at the Nasu plant in Japan and in the Republic of Korea. In 2017, Toray announced facility investments to expand capacity at those two locations, and new lines were started in 2018. 

Toray claims global demand for BSF is projected to expand rapidly, driven largely by EV applications. In Europe, where environmental awareness is increasing, eco-friendly EVs are expected to spread rapidly and battery manufacturers are actively entering European markets, the company says. 

In a statement, Toray says it has taken the strategic approach of “local production for local consumption,” and its main goal is to “expand business by expansion of high value-added products in growth business fields.”