Non-Exclusive License Agreement Highchem Shanghai to Produce, Sell Novel Electrolyte based on Asahi Kasei Technology

Under a non-exclusive license agreement between Highchem Shanghai and Asahi Kasei, Highchem Shanghai will produce and sell the novel acetonitrile-containing electrolyte based on Asahi Kasei’s technology, in China.

Tokyo/Japan – Asahi Kasei has concluded a non-exclusive license agreement with Highchem Shanghai, an affiliate of Highchem, with operations focused on trading in China. Through this partnership, Highchem Shanghai will produce and sell Acetolyte, novel acetonitrile-containing electrolyte based on Asahi Kasei’s technology, in China. The collaboration represents a significant step forward in Asahi Kasei’s licensing strategy and is expected to accelerate sales of Acetolyte to battery manufacturers in China.

The agreement between Highchem Shanghai and Asahi Kasei comes as China’s market for high-performance lithium-ion batteries is rapidly expanding due to the growth of electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems (ESS). This marks the first license agreement for Asahi Kasei’s novel electrolyte technology in China, and grants Highchem Shanghai a non-exclusive license to produce and sell the electrolyte for the local market.

Leveraging Highchem Shanghai’s extensive customer base and established presence in China's battery industry, the partnership aims to drive market adoption of the novel electrolyte while ensuring a reliable, responsive supply to local customers.

“Having focused on the lithium-ion battery business for nearly 20 years, Highchem has knowledge and extensive business experience in the Chinese market,” said Yueyuan Long, General Manager of Highchem Shanghai. “Acetolyte offers excellent low-temperature performance, and we believe that our collaboration with Asahi Kasei will enable us to maximize the value of this technology and open up new possibilities for the battery industry.”

Osamu Matsuzaki, Senior Executive Officer of Asahi Kasei and Head of Corporate R&D, added, “We have steadily expanded the Acetolyte business through licensing partnerships in Europe. This first license agreement in China represents a significant advance in the global extension of our technology. By partnering with Highchem Shanghai, we can deliver innovative solutions to customers in this major market while further strengthening our licensing-based growth strategy.”

Asahi Kasei’s Acetolyte features high ionic conductivity, enabling increased battery power output at low temperatures and improved durability at high temperatures—an ongoing challenge for current LIBs. By enabling smaller battery packs with greater energy density, Acetolyte reduces costs for manufacturers.

Under its current medium-term management plan announced in April 2025, Asahi Kasei is pursuing Technology-value Business Creation (TBC), an initiative to monetize the company’s extensive intangible assets, including patents, know-how, data, and algorithms, by providing them in various forms, including licensing.

This approach allows for swift, asset-light commercialization that accelerates new business creation and maximizes value for customers and partners. Through such licensing-based business development, Asahi Kasei aims to conclude at least 10 new license agreements during fiscal 2025–2027, with a cumulative profit contribution of ¥10 billion or more by around 2030.

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