Aekyung Chemical is focusing on product improvement and market acquisition, viewing TPC (Terephthaloyl Chloride), a core material of aramid fibers, and hard carbon for secondary battery anodes as future growth engines.
According to industry sources on the 22nd, Aekyung Chemical has domestically localized TPC material for the first time and has started to establish a mass production system. The company plans to begin mass production in 2026 and transform into a key player in the aramid value chain.
Aramid is lighter and stronger than steel and is fire-resistant, which has earned it the nickname "super fiber." Aekyung Chemical is in the process of establishing a TPC factory with an annual production capacity of 15,000 tons (t) by utilizing idle land at its Ulsan plant. Future expansion plans in response to market growth and increasing demand are also under review.
Aekyung Chemical is also enhancing technology related to hard carbon, a material used in secondary battery anodes. Hard carbon is primarily used in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). Though these batteries have lower energy density compared to the commonly used lithium-ion batteries, they are evaluated as promising for energy storage systems (ESS) due to their low production expense.
Aekyung Chemical has transformed the HC (hard carbon) project promotion office to a system directly under the CEO in March, increasing the pace of product upgrades and market targeting. The company noted, "While focusing on securing customer companies in line with changes in the secondary battery market, we are also participating in government-led national projects for the commercialization of SIBs and contributing to standardization efforts."