Tokyo, June 3, 2026 -- UBE MAXELL CO., LTD. (President: Tetsuo Nakayasu), a joint venture of UBE Corporation (President: Yuki Nishida) and Maxell, Ltd. (President: Keiji Nakamura), announced the company has decided to construct a new production facility for lithium-ion battery (LiB) separator base film at its Sakai Works to meet the growing demand for automotive LiBs.

The new construction plan follows the completion of a separator base film production facility currently being built at the Sakai Works, which is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2026. The Company has decided to commence construction of the first phase in fiscal 2026, with the second phase scheduled for fiscal 2029. As a result, UBE MAXELL's production capacity for separator base film will increase by approximately 50% from the current level.

The adoption of electrified vehicles (xEVs) continues to expand over the medium to long term, driven by the global trend toward a decarbonized society, and demand for separators, a key component of LiBs, is expected to continue growing.
While some adjustments have recently been seen in the expansion of the electric vehicle (EV) market, automotive applications--particularly hybrid vehicles (HVs)--remain firm, and underlying demand continues to be resilient.
Furthermore, in addition to the growing use of renewable energy, demand for LiBs for energy storage systems (ESS) is expanding against a backdrop of increasing electricity demand driven by AI, data centers, and other factors. As a result, the separator market is expected to grow in both automotive and non-automotive applications.

UBE MAXELL manufactures separators using a dry process. Due to their performance qualities and safety, these separators are extensively used in automotive LiBs. The company will continue to meet the growing demand for separators in a timely manner by expanding production capacity and accelerating the development of applications for next-generation xEVs and non-automotive markets, thereby driving business growth.

Contact

Public Relations Group, Corporate Communication Department, UBE Corporation
Tel: +81-3-5419-6110; E-mail: contact_pr@ube.com

UBE MAXELL CO., LTD.
Tel: +81-75-275-0144