Current 8,000 tons → Expand to 18,000 tons by 2024, KRW 400 billion additional investment by 2025
POSCO FutureM's artificial graphite cathode material plant is a key facility in response to policies to strengthen the supply chain, including IRA and CRMA

POSCO Future M announced that it plans to expand its artificial graphite cathode material production capacity from the current 8,000 tons to 18,000 tons by 2024 and invest an additional 400 billion won by the end of 2025 to more than double this year's production volume.

POSCO Future M announced that it would more than double its artificial graphite production capacity by 2025 during a visit to the Pohang Secondary Battery National Advanced Strategic Industry Specialized Complex by Kang Kyung-sung, 1st Vice Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, on the 17th as his first on-site visit since taking office.

POSCO FutureM's artificial graphite cathode material plant is attracting attention as a key facility that will respond to major countries' supply chain strengthening policies, such as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Core Raw Materials Act (CRMA).

This is because it is the only artificial graphite production plant in the country and has the advantage of being able to completely localize everything from raw materials to final products by using coal tar, a byproduct of POSCO's steelmaking process, as a raw material.

Pohang is home to major domestic secondary battery material companies such as POSCO Future M and EcoPro, and has established a full-cycle material ecosystem that extends from mineral processing to precursors to cathode and anode materials to recycling, making it the most important region from the perspective of the secondary battery supply chain.r />
In addition, Pohang, where the POSCO Future M plant is located, announced the largest secondary battery investment plan in Korea of KRW 12.1 trillion by 2027 when it was designated as a specialized complex last year, and an additional investment of KRW 3.1 trillion is under discussion and review following the designation of the specialized complex.

Meanwhile, on this day, First Vice Minister Kang Kyung-sung held a meeting with major companies in the Pohang Specialized Complex to learn about their investment status and difficulties, and toured the only artificial graphite cathode material factory in the country.

At the meeting that day, Vice Minister Kang emphasized, “Secondary batteries, along with semiconductors, are a cutting-edge industry that is directly linked to the future food source of our economy and economic security, and as such, we must secure a robust supply chain.” He added, “To this end, the government will not spare support in areas such as finance, taxation, R&D, and regulatory reform.”

He continued, “We will actively support the secondary battery industry by supplying 5.9 trillion won in policy financing to the secondary battery sector by 2024 and preparing comprehensive support measures for each specialized complex.” He added, “In particular, to support the Pohang specialized complex, we will promptly promote infrastructure, human resources, and R&D projects worth more than 15 billion won this year.”