Johnson Controls is set to focus on advanced batteries at one of its China plants— but refused to reveal whether it will be lithium or lead-acid.
Although the US company is keeping quiet about the details, a company spokesman confirmed an announcement will be made in the ‘next few weeks’.
A factory in northern China will make advanced batteries only, despite initial plans to also produce starter lead-acid batteries, reported Milwaukee’s Journal Sentinel. Johnson Controls’ headquarters are in the city.
Back in June Johnson Controls announced it would build a $200 million automotive battery plant in Tianjin, northern China, with the aim of increasing its annual battery capacity in China to 30 million by 2017.
The facility was due to supply automakers and the aftermarket in China with maintenance-free lead-acid starter batteries and advanced batteries for Start-Stop vehicles.
The company spokesman would not confirm Tianjin was the plant in question.
The company has also recently launched production at its Changxing facility and its Chongqing plant is scheduled to launch later this year. It also has an automotive battery plant in Shanghai that was part of an acquisition in 2005.