최초입력 2025.10.01 11:08:31
LS-L&F Battery Solution (LLBS) inaugurated its new precursor plant on Tuesday in the Saemangeum National Industrial Complex in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province.
The 40,000-pyeong facility is a key step in LS’s battery value chain strategy. LLBS was formed in October 2023 as a joint venture between LS and L&F, a high-nickel cathode material specialist, to enter the precursor business.
Precursors are intermediate compounds of nickel, cobalt, manganese, and aluminum that are used to produce cathode materials for rechargeable batteries. LLBS invested a total of 1 trillion won ($714 million) into the new plant, which is expected to create around 1,000 jobs and contribute to revitalizing the local economy.
After receiving approval for full plant operations in April 2025, LLBS began trial production of precursors. The company aims to ramp up production to 20,000 tons in 2026, 40,000 tons in 2027, and 120,000 tons by 2029.
LS Group Chairman Koo Ja-eun, L&F Chairman Heo Jae-hong, Jeonbuk Governor Kim Kwan-young, and other key figures attended the opening ceremony.
Koo said the Saemangeum site will serve as the “heart of K-battery materials,” reducing reliance on China, which accounts for nearly 80 percent of the global precursor market, and helping South Korea lead the global supply chain with domestic technology.
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