Chinese battery materials producer BTR has made significant progress in its global expansion strategy by establishing its first overseas cathode material plant in Indonesia. Located in central Sulawesi, the plant is set to strengthen the lithium-ion battery supply chain across Indonesia and the broader ASEAN region.
The new facility recently completed its first phase, boasting an annual production capacity of 160,000 tons of cathode material, contributing to BTR’s overall capacity of 80,000 tons per year. According to BTR Chairman He Xueqin, this initial phase required an investment of $478 million. He stated, “The launch of this plant will fill a crucial gap in the production of lithium-ion battery cathode materials, not only in Indonesia but across the entire ASEAN region, thereby strengthening the full energy lithium battery industry chain.”
While this Indonesian project marks BTR’s first venture outside of China, the company is not stopping there. Its subsidiary, BTR Mediterranean, broke ground on a new plant in Tangier, Morocco, on April 8. Designed to produce 50,000 tons of cathode material per year, this facility represents another strategic move to expand BTR’s influence in the global battery materials market, although the commissioning date has yet to be announced.
BTR continues to grow its production capacity within China as well. On June 16, the company commenced the first phase of a new cathode material plant in Lijiang, Yunnan Province, with a total planned capacity of 200,000 tons per year. The initial phase, with a capacity of 50,000 tons per year, broke ground in May 2022. Additionally, BTR plans to start production at another cathode material plant in Shanxi Province by the end of this year, adding 40,000 tons per year to its capacity.
In 2023, BTR’s total cathode material production capacity reached 477,500 tons per year, a 45.6% increase compared to the previous year. The company produced 376,899 tons of cathode material in 2023, up 10.7% from the year before.
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