Corporate Development     

Published: March 31, 2024
Updated: March 31, 2024

Hindalco Industries

Rs 800 crore for battery foil plant

Hindalco Industries plans to significantly expand its manufacturing capacity of fine-quality aluminium foil that is used in rechargeable batteries to serve the rapidly growing market for electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems. The company is investing Rs 800 crore to build a new plant near Sambalpur in Odisha that will initially produce 25,000 tonnes of the resilient product, which forms the backbone of Lithium-ion and Sodium-ion cells.

ADVANCED FOILS

High-performance aluminium foils are used by cell makers as a current collector for the cathode materials. Hindalco’s deep understanding of metallurgy, extensive experience in sheet and foil rolling, and access to its own aluminium metal gives it a formidable launchpad. The company is already developing such foils to raise the bar on mechanical strength, fine-tune the thickness, and enhance surface characteristics of these advanced application foils. It is working on new coatings on the battery foils that will boost performance by delivering better adhesion, lower resistance and reduced corrosion. It will tap its R&D to provide tailormade solutions for its customers.

This project will provide a stellar thrust to the government’s green initiative to reduce carbon emissions and build sustainable growth. Additionally, the company is working closely with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to co-develop and make critical components like battery enclosures, motor housings, busbars, structural and safety components, and lightweight load bodies, many of which are being designed and developed for the first time in India. These investments catalyse the company’s metamorphosis from a manufacturer of metal to a provider of hightech metal solutions.

The factory will be located alongside a 25 MW solar power plant, and can access additional solar energy from a 400 KV National Grid connection. Scheduled for commissioning in July 2025, the unit will supplement the company’s existing facility at Mouda in Maharashtra.