EcoPro BM is investing around 40 billion won, or approximately €25 million, to adapt its cathode material plant in Debrecen, Hungary, for production of high-nickel NCM materials for European automotive customers. The South Korean manufacturer plans to begin supplying material containing more than 90% nickel to an unnamed German premium automaker from the fourth quarter of 2027.
Debrecen Plant Adds NCM Production
EcoPro BM is modifying an existing production line at its Hungarian facility that was originally designed to manufacture NCA cathode material. The upgraded line will also be capable of producing NCM cathode materials, and the company has already ordered the required equipment.
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The expansion builds on EcoPro BM’s original plans for the Debrecen facility. When the plant opened in late 2025, the company said it would manufacture both high-nickel NCA and NCM cathode materials at the site.
The latest investment links the NCM production capability to a specific customer program. From late 2027, EcoPro BM plans to supply high-nickel cathode material with nickel content above 90% to a German premium carmaker. The customer has not been identified.
Production Capacity to Increase
The Debrecen facility has three production lines with combined annual capacity of 54,000 tonnes, enough to support batteries for approximately 600,000 electric vehicles.
EcoPro BM began ramping up its first production line in June, while the second line is scheduled to begin operations in September. The company expects production at the site to reach around 10,000 tonnes in 2026 before increasing to 30,000 tonnes in 2027.
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The facility also has longer-term expansion potential. When construction began in 2023, EcoPro BM outlined plans that could eventually increase annual capacity to 108,000 tonnes.
Integrated Battery Materials Supply Chain
EcoPro Group has established multiple stages of the cathode production process at the approximately 440,000-square-metre Debrecen site.
EcoPro Innovation has the capacity to supply 8,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide annually, while EcoPro AP supplies oxygen and nitrogen and other materials required for production.
The facility is also expected to supply cathode materials to Samsung SDI, which manufactures battery cells in Göd, Hungary.
Raw Material Security Becomes a Focus
The new project is part of EcoPro BM’s efforts to expand its European customer base while increasing control over its raw material supply.
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The company plans to source nickel from multiple channels, including the EcoPro Group’s BNSI smelting project in Indonesia. EcoPro BM expects the approach to improve supply security and its cost position as European automakers increasingly seek more regionalised battery supply chains.
The Debrecen operation is also expected to improve its financial performance as production increases. EcoPro BM aims to raise capacity utilisation and expects its Hungarian subsidiary to reach quarterly profitability in the second half of 2026.
Source: koreatimes.co.kr, businesskorea.co.kr