DBT Bureau
Pune, 16 August 2025
POSCO Future M has made its initial shipment of cathode materials produced using self-sufficient precursors.
These high-nickel NCMA (nickel-cobalt-manganese-aluminum) cathode materials feature high energy density and output. Ultium Cells, a U.S.-based joint battery venture between LG Energy Solution and GM, will use them to manufacture high-performance EV batteries.
The cathode materials were manufactured using precursors produced at POSCO Future M’s precursor plant with an annual capacity of 45,000 tons. The plant was completed at the cathode material plant site in the Yulchon Industrial Complex in Gwangyang. Precursors are composed of nickel, cobalt, manganese, and other materials and combined with lithium at the cathode material plant to become cathode material products.
As supply chain regulations on Chinese battery materials strengthen, POSCO Future M can meet U.S. supply chain requirements by producing cathode materials with domestically produced precursors. It plans to ship supply chain-independent cathode materials to the U.S. from its Gwangyang plant and expand production at the Pohang plant.
According to SNE Research, Korea’s import dependence on China for precursors reached over 90% as of March. Korea’s battery material industry is pursuing domestic precursor production to secure supply chain competitiveness.
POSCO Future M is expected to gain advantages amid global policy changes by establishing a self-sufficient system spanning raw materials, intermediates, and cathode materials through group companies including POSCO, POSCO HY Clean Metal, POSCO Pilbara Lithium Solution, and POSCO Lithium Solution.
