France’s ACC execs met with Korean battery kit makers
Around 10 companies, including TSI, PNT
Executives of France’s Automotive Cell Company (ACC) have met with South Korean kit makers in their recent visit to the country, TheElec has learned.
ACC COO Jean-Baptiste Pernot and ACC CTO Philippe Biensan met with their counterparts that work for South Korean companies in the battery supply chain, people familiar with the matter said. In their visit last week, they met with executives of at least ten companies: TSI, PNT, CIS, Yunsung F&C, DA Technology, Mplus, Yujin Technology, Daebo Magnetic, MOT and NS.
They also met with those from electrolyte producer Dongwha Electrolyte and dry room kit maker Shinsung Engineering.
ACC executives held hour-long meetings with each South Korean company, the people said.
The meetings seem to indicate that the battery cell maker is attempting to accelerate the construction of their factory and secure a stable supply of equipment to put inside.
ACC is a joint venture between automobile giant Stellantis and Saft, a subsidiary of French energy firm Total. Mercedes-Benz recently joined the venture as the third-largest shareholder.
The battery maker is currently building a battery factory at Nersac in France.
Battery production equipment is in high demand as it is not just cell makers that are procuring equipment, but also automobile makers.
Orders from LG Energy Solution, SK Innovation and Samsung SDI, as well as Northvolt, Rivian and Morrow Batteries, to South Korean kit makers, are increasing.
As ACC is yet to accrue experience in mass-producing battery cells, support from South Korean kit makers is likely needed, another person familiar with the matter said.
Northvolt previously used kits from Lead China but has changed vendors to South Korean companies to stabilize yield rate, the person said. ACC, like Rivian, will likely use kit makers from South Korea for their production line, they added.
ACC is planning to spend 5 billion euros by 2030 to build more cell production lines in France and Germany for an annual production capacity of 24GWh. It is aiming to expand this to 64GWh.