CIS Prepares for Full-Scale Production of Solid Electrolytes... Secures Proprietary Technology and Production Site for Mass Production

Establishment of 100% Subsidiary 'CI Solid' for Solid Electrolyte Production
First Half of This Year Sales 73.2 Billion KRW, Operating Profit 10.7 Billion KRW... Largest Since Inception

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyungsoo Park] CIS announced on the 17th that it has signed a sales contract for a factory site (27,942㎡, approximately 8,452 pyeong) about 1.4 times larger than the entire site of its 1st and 2nd factories in Daegu Seongseo Industrial Complex.

By securing the factory site, CIS has laid the foundation not only for expansion but also for its subsidiary, CISolid, to focus on the production of solid electrolytes and the development and manufacturing of all-solid-state battery equipment. In April, it established CISolid as a 100% subsidiary. While searching for a new factory site, it participated in a public bidding conducted by Daegu Metropolitan City and won the bid for the site.

The subsidiary CISolid is preparing for full-scale production of solid electrolytes based on the technology developed so far by CIS. The factory establishment is also being prepared in advance to coincide with the completion of the production line fabrication and installation early next year.

CIS recently secured proprietary technology for mass production of solid electrolytes and filed several related patents. It is building a continuous production system. Dry method solid electrolyte production had been limited to batch-type manufacturing processes, but the company developed a system capable of continuous production through innovation in manufacturing equipment and processes. This enables simplification of the manufacturing process, reduction of production costs, and securing stable quality.

Kim Suha, CEO of CIS, said, "As interest in all-solid-state battery-related technologies and products increases, we have established CISolid, a specialized solid electrolyte production company, and are preparing for mass production."

He added, "Since 2022, when Prime Planet Energy & Solutions (PESS), a joint venture between Toyota Motor and Panasonic, announced plans to mass-produce all-solid-state batteries, the market is expected to expand significantly. To respond to this, we are in discussions with leading domestic and international companies regarding the supply of solid electrolyte and all-solid-state battery production lines."

CIS recorded sales of 73.2 billion KRW and an operating profit of 10.7 billion KRW in the first half of the year, achieving its highest half-year performance. It also secured an order backlog of 272.1 billion KRW. The company plans to expand its factory on the secured site to prepare for increasing manufacturing equipment orders due to the expansion of the electric vehicle market. Some of the site will be used by CISolid for the production of solid electrolytes for all-solid-state batteries.

All-solid-state batteries are next-generation batteries that can surpass the energy density of lithium secondary batteries. They are expected to be commercialized within a few years. In particular, sulfide-based solid electrolytes are known to be advantageous for large batteries such as those used in electric vehicles. The technology Toyota Motor is expected to unveil soon is also anticipated to be of the same type.

All-solid-state batteries are evaluated as the optimal technology for electric vehicles because they have high energy density and no risk of fire. According to a report by Japan's NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization), global electric vehicle (EV, PHEV) sales are estimated to reach 35 million units by 2030. The required energy density is expected to approach 400 Wh/kg. Therefore, current lithium secondary batteries have limitations, and the market is expected to be reorganized around all-solid-state batteries capable of achieving high energy density.