New Ionel plant planned

Nippon Shokubai has concluded a location agreement with the city of Kitakyushu, at the northern tip of Kyshu island, to build a 3,000 tonnes/year plant for its Ionel brand of lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl) imide (LiFSI). The investment is projected to be a little over $2.6 billion and construction should begin in January 2026, for completion in July 2028.

Ionel is an electrolyte for lithium-ion batteries that contributes to performance improvements such as longer battery life, shorter charging times and higher output in low-temperature environments. Demand for it is expected to grow in electric vehicles (EVs). Kitakyushu is home to many automotive and environment-related manufacturers.