EcoPro has completed its cathode materials plant in Debrecen, Hungary, and begun commercial production, becoming the first Korean battery materials maker to establish a manufacturing base in Europe.
The company announced Sunday that it had held a completion ceremony on Friday, attended by EcoPro founder Lee Dong-chae, EcoPro CEO Song Ho-jun, EcoPro BM CEO Choi Moon-ho, Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency head Istvan Joo, GEM Vice Chairman Wang Min and SK On CEO Lee Seok-hee, along with other executives from client companies.
“This is the first European production base built by a Korean cathode producer, completed just three years after breaking ground thanks to Hungary’s swift one-stop support,” founder Lee said. “At a moment of rapid change in Europe’s EV industry, this marks a new beginning for EcoPro and the region.”
Located on a 440,000-square-meter site, the Debrecen complex houses EcoPro BM for cathode production, EcoPro Innovation for lithium processing and EcoPro AP for industrial gas supply. The cathode plant has an annual capacity of 54,000 tons — enough to support production of about 600,000 EVs. The lithium unit will produce 8,000 tons of lithium hydroxide per year, while EcoPro AP will generate 16,000 cubic meters of oxygen per hour.
EcoPro plans to begin mass production next year of high-nickel NCA and NCM cathode materials, with plans to expand into mid-nickel and LFP products depending on customer demand. After future expansion, total yearly output at the site is expected to reach 108,000 tons.
The new plant is expected to attract strong interest from European cell and EV makers as the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act and the UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement tighten requirements on regional supply chains. With the facility completed, EcoPro becomes the first Korean cathode supplier with local EU production, a position that could help secure new clients.
Hungary is already a major battery hub, hosting Samsung SDI, SK On, CATL and BMW. EcoPro expects its Hungarian output to gain cost competitiveness by using low-cost nickel sourced from its Indonesian refinery investments and by applying advanced automation technologies.
The company also plans to expand local hiring and build out training partnerships with nearby technical schools and vocational centers as part of its localization strategy in Debrecen.
EcoPro held a Korea-Hungary cultural exchange event in Budapest on Nov. 27, a day before the completion ceremony.
hwkan@heraldcorp.com
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