Zeon Expands SWCNT Production Capacity With New Facility

Zeon Corporation (Zeon) has begun construction of a new production facility at its Tokuyama Plant in Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, to increase its production capacity for single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). The new facility is scheduled to begin full-scale operations in 2028 and is designed to expand production capacity to tens of times the current level. The expansion is intended to address growing demand for lithium-ion batteries, where SWCNTs are an important material. The project represents a significant capacity expansion for Zeon as demand for advanced battery materials continues to grow.

New Tokuyama Facility Targets Major SWCNT Capacity Expansion

The new SWCNT manufacturing facility will be built at Zeon's Tokuyama Plant in Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. The project involves constructing a new building comparable in size to the existing facility, while targeting production capacity tens of times higher than the current level. Rather than relying solely on a larger physical footprint, Zeon Corporation plans to use an advanced version of its proprietary Super-Growth Method to increase output substantially within a facility of similar scale. Full-scale operations are scheduled to begin in 2028, supporting the company's response to rising demand for SWCNTs used in lithium-ion battery applications.

Advanced Super-Growth Method Supports Higher Output

The new facility will utilize an advanced version of Zeon's proprietary Super-Growth Method, a process through which the company achieved the world's first successful mass production of SWCNTs in 2015. The technology is central to the planned capacity increase because it is designed to enable greater output even though the new building is comparable in size to the existing facility. By applying an enhanced version of this established production approach, Zeon expects to significantly increase manufacturing capability while maintaining the planned facility scale. This approach directly supports the objective of expanding SWCNT supply for growing lithium-ion battery demand.

Government Certification Supports Battery Material Supply

The construction of the SWCNT manufacturing plant has been certified under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's "Supply Security Plan for Storage Batteries." The project is also slated to receive government subsidies under the framework. This certification places the facility within a broader effort to strengthen supply security for storage battery-related materials. For Zeon, the support provides a policy-backed foundation for expanding domestic SWCNT manufacturing capacity while addressing anticipated demand from lithium-ion battery applications. The planned investment therefore combines the company's proprietary manufacturing technology with government-backed measures intended to reinforce the supply base for strategically important battery materials.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will Zeon's new SWCNT facility begin full-scale operations?
Zeon's new SWCNT production facility at its Tokuyama Plant is scheduled to begin full-scale operations in 2028. The project is designed to expand production capacity to tens of times the current level while using an advanced version of Zeon's proprietary Super-Growth Method. The facility will have a new building comparable in size to the existing facility, but the enhanced manufacturing process is expected to enable substantially higher output. The project has also been certified under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's "Supply Security Plan for Storage Batteries" and is slated to receive government subsidies.