Ningde Becomes The World's Largest Polymer Lithium-ion Battery Production Base



Ningde Becomes The World's Largest Polymer Lithium-ion Battery Production Base

On November 13, the reporter learned from relevant municipal departments that after 9 years of development, Ningde City has become the world's largest polymer lithium-ion battery production base with its products supplied to well-known brands such as Apple, Huawei, Xiaomi, OPPO and Meizu.

Since the establishment of Amperex Technology Limited (ATL) in March 2008, Ningde has seen an explosive growth in its lithium battery industry, with an average annual growth of 144%. The industry has become a new engine for the city's industrial economy. From January to September this year, the lithium battery industry generated an output value of RMB 25.752 billion, an added value of RMB 10.893 billion, accounting for 21% of the city's total industrial added value, up by 51.9% year-on-year, and contributed 349% to the city's industrial added value of enterprises above designated size and 7 percentage points to the city's industrial growth of enterprises above designated size. It is the fastest-growing industry in Ningde.

Today, the two industry leaders - ATL and Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited (CATL) have become the world's first largest manufacturer of consumer polymer lithium-ion batteries and the world's second largest manufacturer of lithium-ion power batteries respectively. In 2017, the two leading enterprises generated an output value of more than RMB 35 billion.

By the end of the 13th Five-Year period, Ningde's lithium battery industry size is expected to exceed RMB 100 billion, where the output value of the battery industry will reach RMB 70 billion and the supporting materials and equipment industry more than RMB 30 billion.

Nowadays, fast charging of more and more mobile phones has become a reality due to the use of ATL's consumer lithium-ion battery, a product of Ningde's lithium battery industry. The product offers features such as high energy density, high power, fast charging, special shapes, safety, world-leading quality and other technical advantages and is leading market development. Meanwhile, ATL can provide one-stop services including custom design, sample production, system integration, safety approval and mass production and is a battery supplier of renowned brands such as Apple, Huawei, Xiaomi, OPPO, Meizu and DJL.

Another product - CATL's power battery boasts core technologies of the whole industry chain such as materials, battery cells, battery systems and battery recycling, with an energy density of up to 250Wh/kg. CATL can provide a warranty of no less than 8 years or 120,000 km for the battery pack and system of electric passenger vehicles. In the domestic market, CATL has important strategic partners including Yutong, King Long, BAIC, SAIC, GAC and Geely. It is the only domestic enterprise that mass produces power batteries for international automakers such as BMW and Volkswagen as well as a partner of Peugeot, Citroen, Nissan, Renault, Mercedes Benz and GM, etc. CATL's power battery will be marketed in 2018 or 2019.

Meanwhile, lithium battery industry chain projects are being implemented steadily. By this November, Ningde's lithium battery industry has taken on 36 industry chain projects with a total investment of RMB 24.724 billion. These projects cover products such as insulating films, coating materials and aluminum-plastic materials for lithium-ion batteries, anode and cathode materials, isolating films, aluminum foil, copper foil, electrolyte, lithium battery components, battery cell covers and molds, fully demonstrating Ningde’s lithium battery industry's influence and appeal in the industry.

Manufacturing of lithium batteries and battery packs is at the core of Ningde's lithium battery industry, which is powered by ATL and CATL. By focusing on the lithium battery industry chain, Ningde aims to develop the new energy vehicle industry and promote the development of related industries such as high-end equipment, motors and electrical control, management systems, inspection and certification. Currently, ATL and CATL have played an evident role in promoting the coordinated development of the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors of the industry chain, and have boosted the development of neighboring counties such as Fu'an, Fuding, Gutian and Pingnan with Dongqiao and Jiaocheng at their center.

It's learned that in Ningde, the lithium battery industry is regarded as its strategic pillar industry and a key industry for the 13th Five-Year period.