[First line observation of manufacturing upgrading]
◎ Our reporter Yu Huiyou
"Our production line of graphite anode material precursor for lithium ion batteries has started up! This production line can realize the completion of two core processes of artificial graphite anode material in one equipment, which has the advantages of continuity and automation. It is independently developed, and the annual output can reach tens of thousands of tons. In this way, the energy consumption per unit capacity, production cost, and equipment investment can all be reduced by more than 30%." Recently, Hou Yonghe, the founder of Hunan Asmi New Materials Co., Ltd., announced a blockbuster achievement landing in Hunan Ningxiang High tech Zone.
Ningxiang has received several good news in the field of new energy storage industry this year.
Data shows that by 2023, the total output value of energy storage materials industry in Ningxiang City is nearly 60 billion yuan, accounting for about half of the total output value of energy storage materials in Hunan Province. Today, Ningxiang has formed a complete closed loop industrial chain from positive electrode precursor to positive electrode material, negative electrode, diaphragm, electrolyte, battery cell and battery recycling. It is one of the rare regions in China with a complete energy storage industrial chain.
Ecological "nourishment" and cultivation of high-tech enterprises
In 2003, the industrial development of power lithium-ion battery ushered in the dawn. Ningxiang also welcomed a "distinguished person" - Li Xinhai, a professor of Central South University. He founded Aobo New Materials here, becoming the first local energy storage material industry enterprise.
Soon after, Li Xinhai "sent" another small enterprise to Ningxiang High tech Zone - Hunan Bangpu Recycling Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Bangpu Recycling"). He asserted that this enterprise has a bright future.
"At that time, there were only three '3s' in all the belongings of Bangpu cycle, namely 30 people, 30 mu of land and 30 million yuan of output value." As a staff member responsible for investment promotion at that time, Liu Ying, deputy director of the management committee of Ningxiang High tech Zone, was impressed.
It is such a small enterprise that, under the "nourishment" of Ningxiang's industrial ecology, has become the largest domestic high-tech enterprise for recycling and processing of waste lithium batteries and production of high-end battery materials. Bunp Recycling took the lead in solving the industrial problem of waste reduction in the field of waste battery recycling worldwide, making the total recovery rate of core metal materials of battery products more than 99.3%.
Over the years, the "olive branch" thrown out by Ningxiang attracted a group of "golden phoenix" in the following 20 years.
In the large-scale precursor R&D and test workshop of Zhongwei New Energy Industry, scientific researchers are conducting tests in an orderly manner. "We have built a multi-level and multi-dimensional scientific research and innovation system, and the proportion of non-standard equipment independently developed is more than 25%. At present, we have achieved full coverage and mass production of four major material systems of nickel, cobalt, phosphorus and sodium. Our ultra-high nickel precursors and other products have occupied the high-end market, with full orders and stable growth." Xie Shuo, chief expert of Zhongwei New Materials Co., Ltd., said confidently.
In 2019, Ningxiang Municipal People's Government signed a contract with BYD to invest in the construction of the Ferdi battery project to produce BYD's super lithium iron phosphate battery - "blade battery". Batching, coating, rolling, lamination, assembly...... Verdi battery production workshop has realized that each production line can finish the production of one battery in 6 seconds in the whole process, and the daily production of more than 50000 blade batteries.
Up to now, Ningxiang's energy storage material industry chain has 32 industrial enterprises above designated size. The energy storage material industry has created 38% of the city's industrial output value and contributed 39% of the city's tax revenue.
Government escort, optimize business environment
Ningxiang is not coastal or along the border, and has no congenital geographical advantage. "We have made great efforts to explore and create 'planning' investment attraction and 'shareholder' service to make up for 'congenital deficiency'," said Zhang Zuolin, secretary of Ningxiang Municipal Party Committee.
"Without Ningxiang, there would be no current five innovation cycle!" Li Qingfeng, the general manager of the company, sighed with emotion.
In 2016, Zhang Jiashun, the chairman of Wuchuang Recycling Company, came to Ningxiang with his research and development achievements of many years, "Retired lithium ion battery recycling technology". "When we encounter problems, the government will help us deal with them in a coordinated manner, so that we can focus on the transformation of achievements without worries," said Li Qingfeng.
"The Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government are the strong backing for the development of enterprises." Huang Tao, deputy secretary of the Ningxiang Municipal Party Committee and mayor, said that he would personally lead a team to visit and exchange with enterprises to provide services and suggestions for enterprises.
"The transformation of achievements takes time, but also has certain risks. Ningxiang's help has accelerated our development, and we hope to win with Ningxiang!" Li Qingfeng said. The current five innovation cycle has been the key cultivation target of Ningxiang's "14th Five Year Plan" enterprises with an output value of more than 10 billion yuan and enterprises to be listed.
"Ningxiang has a good business environment, and we will also settle the second phase project in Ningxiang." Chen Hailin, general manager of Hunan Pengbo New Materials Co., Ltd., also praised Ningxiang.
At the beginning of 2022, the person in charge of Hunan Pengbo New Material Co., Ltd. called the Ningxiang Municipal Party Committee and Government for help, hoping to solve the problem of installing photovoltaic power generation facilities on the roof of the plant. Unexpectedly, this "telephone porridge" has been "cooking" for more than an hour, talking about the capital market and other issues from the technical route and industry prospects. Since then, the municipal party committee and government have also organized many interviews to help solve enterprise problems. Sincere service enables this enterprise to independently increase investment in Ningxiang.
"We focus on promoting the energy storage material industry to form a full closed-loop industrial chain, deepening scale agglomeration, and promoting the industry to become bigger and stronger," said Zhang Zuolin.
As the largest polymer lithium ion battery production base in the world, Ningde Times has outstanding advantages in the field of electrochemical energy storage. Huang Tao said, "I hope that in the future, in the new energy storage industry map of China, we can form a 'Shuangning' pattern of 'Ningde in the South and Ningxiang in the Middle'!"
