Hong Kong-listed lead batteries firm Leoch International Technology has broken ground for a major lithium-ion battery plant in China’s northern Anhui Province.
Leoch is investing CNY1.2 billion (US$177.5 million) in the project to build a factory in the Huaibei Development Zone with an annual production capacity of four gigawatt-hours.
The ‘Leoch International Anhui New Energy Battery Project’ will manufacture batteries for energy storage systems as well as to power electrical devices, Leoch said.
Leoch confirmed it had broken ground for the project towards the end of last month but did not give a completion date.
In 2017, Leoch joined East Penn Manufacturing, Crown Battery Manufacturing and Power-Sonic to invest in advanced battery firm Gridtential.
The investors have been working to validate the potential of Gridtential’s Silicon-Joule batteries.
Last year, Leoch formed a joint venture (DBS Leoch) with UK-based battery distributor DBS Energy, to target sales to the country’s industrial market.