TOKYO, Japan and NOVI, MI and DÜSSELDORF, Germany, Aug 6, 2025 – A new partnership aims to strengthen North America’s electric vehicle supply chain. The U.S. subsidiaries of Asahi Kasei and Toyota Tsusho, Asahi Kasei Battery Separator America, LLC (AKBSA) and Toyota Tsusho America, Inc. (TAI) have signed a capacity agreement to supply lithium-ion battery separators, supporting the demand for EV components.
The agreement entitles TAI to a preferential share of AKBSA’s production capacity for Hipore LIB separator. Beginning in mid-2027, AKBSA will supply TAI with coated Hipore separator from its new coating facility currently under construction in Charlotte, NC.
This partnership helps Asahi Kasei reduce exposure to market fluctuations and use its resources capably by keeping high production rates. Toyota Tsusho gains a supply of LIB separators from the Charlotte plant to support the growth of the automotive battery supply chain in North America.
With Asahi Kasei’s experience in functional materials and Toyota Tsusho’s mobility knowledge, the partnership will accelerate the use of wet-process separators in the North American battery market. It will also support electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing across the region.
“This alliance fits perfectly with Asahi Kasei’s global growth strategy to build and strengthen a supply chain in North America with our partners and to capture medium- to long-term growth opportunities in the electrified vehicle market,” said Ryu Taniguchi, lead executive officer of Asahi Kasei and responsible for the company’s separator business. “As a supplier of high-quality LIB separator, in partnership with Toyota Tsusho we will build an ecosystem that supports electrification in North America and leads the way to a carbon-neutral future.”
Kazuyuki Urata, COO of Toyota Tsusho’s circular economy division, added, “This collaboration with Asahi Kasei is an important step toward the acceleration of electrification in North America and the realization of a sustainable mobility society. Toyota Tsusho will leverage its global network and expertise in the mobility field to build a highly reliable automotive LIB supply chain, thereby creating a foundation to support the spread of electrified vehicles and the reduction of their environmental impact.”
To meet demand in North America, Asahi Kasei plans to set up a battery separator facility in Canada, as announced in May 2024. The company’s medium-term management plan identifies its separator business as a growth potential, with attention on expanding the Hipore wet-process separator. Adding a Canadian facility, alongside U.S. plants, will help Asahi Kasei strengthen its role in North America’s battery supply chain.
Source: Asahi Kasei
About Asahi Kasei
Asahi Kasei Corp., founded in 1931 and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, operates in about 40 countries with approximately 50,300 employees as of March 31, 2025. The company provides products and solutions across chemicals, fibers, electronic materials, construction materials, homes, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals, serving industries such as energy, automotive, healthcare, and building materials. Originally established as a chemical producer, Asahi Kasei has grown into a diversified technology group with a focus on industrial materials, healthcare technologies, and electronic components. For fiscal 2024, the company reported net sales of ¥3.04T (about $20B) and operating income of ¥212B (around $1.4B). Asahi Kasei maintains global operations and R&D centers across North America, Europe, and Asia, supporting its efforts to deliver materials and technologies that meet industry demands.
About Toyota Tsusho
Toyota Tsusho Corp., founded in 1948 and headquartered in Nagoya, Japan, with a head office in Tokyo, operates as a general trading and project management company within the Toyota Group. The company provides services and products across metals trading, automotive logistics, machinery and energy solutions, chemicals, electronics, food, consumer goods, and infrastructure projects, particularly in Africa. It serves industries including automotive, manufacturing, energy, infrastructure, and agriculture. Toyota Tsusho operates globally with more than 900 subsidiaries in about 40 countries and employs approximately 69,000 people as of 2025. For fiscal 2025, which ended March 31, the company reported revenue of approximately ¥10.31T (around $67B). With more than 75 years in business, Toyota Tsusho plays a key role in international trade, logistics, and industrial services across multiple sectors.