UBE plans $500 million EV battery ingredient plant In Louisiana
In New Jersey, Business Facilities reported that Japanese chemical company UBE Corporation will invest $500 million to establish its first U.S. manufacturing facility for key electric vehicle (EV) Lithium Ion Battery (LiB) ingredients. The project will be located at Cornerstone Energy Park (CEP) in Jefferson Parish. The manufacturing facility will produce dimethyl carbonate (DMC) and ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC), which will bolster the domestic battery components supply chain by reducing the current heavy reliance on Chinese imports, according to the report. The report noted that DMC and EMC are used to produce the electrolyte in lithium-ion batteries that contributes to extended battery life and increased driving range for electric vehicles. UBE estimates its new facility will be capable of producing 100,000 metric tons of DMC per year and 40,000 metric tons of EMC, derived from DMC, annually. Construction is scheduled for completion in mid-2026 with operations to begin in late 2026, the report added.
