Battery separator firm Entek announced it is making strategic investments to expand its manufacturing footprint of absorbent glass mat (AGM) separator materials for lead-acid batteries into the US and India.
The investments aim to serve the expanding demand for energy storage solutions for inverters, industrial applications and electric vehicles (EVs) in those countries.
The firm is investigating sites in India and the US for the development of fully integrated AGM production plants, including both fibre production and paper lines.
The US-firm says being the first producer of glass fibre for AGM batteries in India enables it to ensure control over quality, cost and security of supply, to provide a strong value proposition for customers.
Entek produces all three primary separator technologies (PE, AGM, and lithium separators) following the acquisition of the majority stake in Nippon Sheet Glass’ (NSG) lead-acid battery separator business in 2021.
Larry Keith, CEO of Entek, said: “We are committed to producing high quality AGM in India and the US to serve the growing need for this product in energy storage solutions for our changing world.
“Our outstanding team in Japan has a long history and wealth of experience producing high-performance AGM products for some of the most demanding customers in the world.
“That technical expertise, together with our equipment manufacturing capabilities, provides the core competencies to successfully scale local production to serve the growing markets in India and the US.”
