Hindalco Industries plans to significantly expand its manufacturing capacity of fine-quality aluminium foil that is used in rechargeable batteries to serve the rapidly growing market for electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems. The company is investing Rs 800 crore to build a new plant near Sambalpur in Odisha that will initially produce 25,000 tonnes of the resilient product which forms the backbone of Lithium-ion and Sodium-ion cells.
Satish Pai, Managing Director, Hindalco Industries said, “We are seeing a fast traction in battery materials demand, driven by an impressive outlook for the Electric Vehicle and Grid Storage sectors. Raw material localization is critical in such strategic sectors. Hindalco is thus making various investments in battery materials and technologies towards building Atmanirbhar Bharat. Investment in this new battery foil mill is another such step in this direction.”
Hindalco’s Mouda facility in Maharashtra has already achieved a technological breakthrough in the production of high-quality battery foils. The Mouda device is now being qualified by lithium-ion cell manufacturers in India, Europe, and the United States. The new operation in Odisha will strengthen the company’s capabilities to provide material to Gigafactories throughout the world.
Cell manufacturers employ high-performance aluminum foils as a current collector for cathode materials. Hindalco’s in-depth knowledge of metallurgy, considerable experience in sheet and foil rolling, and access to its own aluminum metal make it a formidable launch pad. The company is already working on such foils to improve mechanical strength, fine-tune thickness, and improve surface properties of these advanced application foils. It is developing novel coatings for battery foils that will improve performance by providing greater adhesion, lower resistance, and lower corrosion. It will use its strong R&D capabilities to give tailored solutions to its customers.
This project will give a tremendous boost to the government’s green strategy to cut carbon emissions and foster long-term growth. Furthermore, the company is collaborating with original equipment manufacturers (OEM) to co-develop and manufacture critical components such as battery enclosures, motor housings, busbars, structural and safety components, and lightweight load bodies, many of which are being designed and developed in India for the first time. These investments will help Hindalco transition from a metal maker to a provider of high-tech metal solutions.
The facility will be built next to a 25 MW solar power plant and will have access to additional solar energy via a 400 KV National Grid connection. The unit, which is set to be operational in July 2025, would supplement Hindalco’s existing facility in Mouda, Maharashtra.
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