Panasonic Energy signed a long-term agreement with H&T Recharge (H&T), a leading battery component manufacturer, for the supply of lithium-ion battery cans in North America, with the aim of expanding production of safe EV batteries.

Panasonic Energy and H&T have collaborated since 2017, with H&T supplying approximately 40 GWh of battery can capacity annually to Panasonic Energy’s Nevada facility. (H&T produces approximately 2 billion battery cans annually in the US.) The new agreement will extend H&T’s supply to Panasonic Energy’s Kansas facility, which is scheduled to begin operations by March 2025.

H&T’s product portfolio includes the major sizes of cylindrical cans for rechargeable batteries (e.g., 21700, 46xxx and others) as well as the ability to manufacture cusstomized components.

H&T plans to enhance productivity and quality further by implementing new production lines that will allow them to supply battery cans with an anticipated annual capacity of approximately 30 GWh to the Kansas facility.

To meet the growing global demand for EVs, Panasonic Energy is committed to expanding the production of EV batteries and improving their performance and durability, thereby extending driving range. Ensuring safety is also crucial, particularly in terms of mitigating thermal runaway incidents when they are modularized for installation in EVs. To this end, the company’s lithium-ion batteries are designed and manufactured using components optimized for the entire cell, including the battery cans, to reduce the incidence of issues such as cell rupture and ignition.

Complementing this commitment to safety, H&T possesses unique in-house deep drawing press and tool design capabilities, as well as several decades of high-volume serial can manufacturing experience. All key processes on the company’s production line concepts in North America are fully automated, ensuring stable and efficient mass production and consistent quality.

Panasonic Energy’s partnership with H&T is part of the company’s strategy to strengthen its supply chains in North America by increasing the level of local procurement of battery components. This will in turn reduce both the company’s carbon footprint and its transportation costs as H&T plans to have a facility in Kansas as well.

H&T Recharge is part of the Heitkamp & Thumann Group, a leading global partner for the development and supply of world-class precision formed components, devices in both metal and plastic as well as services. Established in 1978, the family-owned group of companies has grown into a Group, encompassing three Divisions and three Business Units situated across nine countries and three continents.

H&T Recharge is one of the Group’s three Divisions and is the partner of choice for battery can solutions in the rechargeable Lithium-ion battery industry. H&T Recharge entered this new industry early and has become the largest deep drawn cylindrical can manufacturer in the Western Hemisphere. Supporting both automotive and non-automotive applications, H&T Recharge supports manufacturers serving the increasing cylindrical battery demand with a range of customized component solutions.

by greencarcongress