Abstract:Although the shipments of Chinese separator enterprises have exceeded 80% in the world, the degree of localization is still low in terms of lithium battery separator equipment, especially in wet separator equipment, and it is heavily dependent on imported equipment. Digging deep into the opportunities of localization substitution, a number of lithium battery equipment start-ups began to emerge.
According to the data released by the research institute EVTANK, the localization rate of lithium battery equipment in the Chinese market has reached 90%, and some domestic manufacturers have been able to provide the main equipment of the whole lithium battery production line, and provide integrated design and solutions, and some of the equipment has reached the international advanced level.
It is worth noting that although the shipments of Chinese separator companies have exceeded 80% in the world, the degree of localization is still low in terms of lithium battery separator equipment, especially in wet separator equipment, and it relies heavily on imported equipment. For example, the core production equipment of the company mainly comes from the Japan Steel Institute, and the main equipment supplier of Xingyuan Material is Bruckner, Germany.
In this context, digging deep into the opportunities of localization substitution, a number of lithium battery equipment startups began to emerge.
Aiming at the opportunity of localization, we will deepen the subdivision track
According to the data, in terms of front-end equipment (mixers, coating machines, roller presses, slitting machines, tablet machines and die-cutting machines, etc.), domestic equipment is still in the stage of trying to catch up and reduce the technological gap with imported equipment.
Jiao Junfeng, chairman of Guangdong Jiemeng Intelligent Equipment.
In order to make China's lithium battery coating equipment no longer rely on imports, in April 2019, Jiao Junfeng, chairman of Guangdong Jiemeng Intelligent Equipment, led the team to establish Jiemeng Intelligent, developed the first domestic extrusion coating line and double-sided high-speed extrusion coating machine, and made the gravure coating machine the first in the industry, and continuously optimized the comprehensive performance of the equipment, such as stability, consistency and efficiency, and increased the gravure coating speed from 50m min to 200m min, accounting for 80% of the gravure coating machine market share, and form a strategic alliance for technology research and development with leading enterprises.
Jiemeng Intelligent Continuous Gravure Coater.
At present, Jiemeng Intelligent led by Jiao Junfeng has become one of the very few leading equipment providers in China that can provide technical solutions and equipment for separator coating from powder, mixing, slurry conveying, coating and slitting, and is also one of the leading equipment manufacturers that master the core coating technology, comprehensively cover various application fields, and provide more comprehensive coating solutions for the field of lithium batteries, optical component coating, special demand coating, etc.
Jetmeng Intelligent Adaptive Intermittent Gravure Coater (Skip Coater).
In the past few years, the gravure coating machine has been used as a starting point to lay the market foundation, and in 2022, it will launch high-speed extrusion coating and separator coating machine and other products, and increase investment in R&D investment in separator coating equipment this year, and the products have covered double-sided high-speed extrusion coating machine, separator film coating machine, continuous gravure coating machine, rolling and slitting machine, cutting and stacking machine, etc. According to Jiao Junfeng, in order to enhance the competitiveness of lithium battery equipment, it is necessary to focus on the following aspects:
The first is to adhere to the original intention of technology and continue to innovate and research and development: Adhere to the original intention of doing a good job in technical products, provide customers with effective efficiency guarantee, stable and consistent production guarantee;We continue to innovate and develop R&D to maintain technological leadership, continuously optimize and upgrade core dimensions such as process equipment combined with application engineering capabilities, help customers reduce production costs and increase efficiency, and provide technical solutions and joint R&D in combination with the development trend of future terminal products.
In Jiao Junfeng's view, the main path to reduce costs and increase efficiency of lithium battery equipment is design improvement, technological innovation, and amortization cost reduction per unit capacity. Jiemeng Intelligence focuses on the improvement of product technology iteration, precision control, and production automation level, deepens the cooperation of upstream and downstream resources, and is committed to enabling downstream customers to reduce comprehensive costs while improving the yield and consistency of delivered products in the manufacturing stage.
The second is to keep an eye on the market trend and make a multi-point layout: Pay attention to market trends and needs, especially emerging markets and technology developments;Expanding market share and seeking new process applications are the current focus. Aiming at innovative technologies in the field of batteries, Jiemeng Intelligent has reserved new processes and equipment technologies such as dry coating, integrated melting, and physical and chemical lithium supplementation.
The third is the first chain and cost controlEmphasize the healthy partnership of the first chain, adhere to long-termism, strategic win-win, especially the core components, and at the same time pay attention to and help the best business to improve and optimize cost control to maintain market competitiveness.
It is reported that with new technology and new equipment in the field of lithium battery, Jiemeng's intelligent solutions and products have been applied in a number of TOP10 lithium battery companies, and the company's main customers are CATL, EVE Lithium Energy, Guoxuan Hi-Tech, Xinwangda, Ruipu Lanjun, etc.
Not only that, this year, Jiemeng Intelligence has also completed hundreds of millions of yuan in strategic financing. The funds from this round of financing will be mainly used for capacity expansion and replenishment of working capital, and comprehensively strengthen the competitive advantage of talents and product research and development capabilities.
Under the challenge of destocking, dig deep and break through the opportunities
At present, the lithium battery industry is entering a new round of deep adjustment of the industry, and the pressure of destocking has increased greatly. According to the latest data from EVTANK, as of the end of June 2023, the actual production capacity of 46 global power (energy storage) battery companies included in EVTANK's statistics has reached 2,3836GWh, and by the end of 2026, the planned production capacity will reach 67300GWh, the industry-wide nominal capacity utilization rate will increase from 46 in 20230% down to 38 in 20268%。
With the gradual release of new production capacity, a new round of excess cycle has accelerated, and some companies have begun to reduce project investment, and the lithium battery equipment industry is the first to feel the chill.
In this regard, Jiao Junfeng said that the short-term fluctuations of China's domestic lithium battery equipment industry will not affect the trend of continuing to maintain upward growth in the future, and the industry will usher in many opportunities
In terms of technological innovation driveEquipment manufacturers need to strengthen technological innovation to meet the production needs of different types and forms of batteries, such as solid-state batteries, sodium-ion batteries, composite current collectors, etc.
Jiemeng intelligent PET composite copper foil electroplating equipment.
It is reported thatIn terms of composite current collectorsJiemeng has developed PET composite copper foil plating equipment, which has the following advantages: the V-type coating method is adopted, and the segmented control and adjustment of current density is more convenient and effective;The special liquid feeding method makes the plating solution circulation frequency in the effective plating area faster, and the replenishment of copper ions is more timely and efficientThe gradient liquid preparation technology is used to make the plating solution concentration and the electroplating current match more proportional, and avoid the electroplating defects caused by the mismatch between the plating solution concentration and the electroplating current densityClosed-loop control of the whole process of pressure, tension and speedIt can realize the concentration detection of the whole process of the plating solution, and the temperature is automatically detected + closed-loop control.
In terms of smart manufacturing and digital transformationWith the goal of improving production efficiency and quality, equipment manufacturers will promote intelligent manufacturing and digital transformation, realize the automation and intelligence of the production process, and enhance competitiveness.
In terms of green environmental protection and sustainable developmentThe industry will pay more attention to green environmental protection and sustainable development. Reducing energy consumption and improving the energy efficiency of equipment will become key goals.
In terms of international market expansionEurope, the United States and other overseas regions to maintain rapid growth, lithium batteries will continue to maintain a substantial expansion of production, lithium equipment bidding to maintain a high boom, the need to strengthen the international market layout, seek a wider range of cooperation and market expansion opportunities, enhance the share and reputation of China's lithium equipment in the global market.
Battery Network has learned that Jiemeng has two major production bases in China, has laid out the Hungarian base, and plans to build a North American base to further improve overseas production capacity and efficiency, and shorten the delivery time.
To enable domestic lithium battery equipment to break through, Jiao Junfeng revealed that the future strategy of Jiemeng Intelligence will also focus on technological innovation driven, industrial chain integration, service upgrading, intelligent manufacturing, international layout, etc., and continue to pay attention to market demand, product innovation and global competition will be an important strategic direction for the future development of Jiemeng Intelligence.
At the same time, based on a deep understanding of the coating process, Jiemeng's business will gradually extend to other fields such as optical films, perovskites, and RO films for sewage treatment, continuously expanding the market and improving product visibility, and the main business shows subdivided development.