Neogen Chemicals, among India’s leading manufacturers of bromine-based and lithium-based specialty chemicals, signed an agreement with MU Ionic Solutions (MUIS), Japan on 10 April, 2023. With this arrangement, Neogen will be the first Indian company to have the capability to manufacture electrolytes at scale for lithium-ion batteries using a global technology.

As defined by the terms of the agreement, Neogen will obtain the licence from MUIS for proprietary and confidential manufacturing technology to make electrolyte solutions at Neogen's manufacturing facility in India, with a planned maximum installed capacity of upto 30,000 tonne per annum. This will enable Neogen to meet the growing demand of lithium-ion cell manufacturers in India.

Under the agreement, the manufacturing plant is required to meet stringent global standards for quality, reliability, safety and efficiency for electrolytes production. It will also help Neogen to reduce approval times with the lithium-ion battery makers.

This is the first-ever license issued by MUIS, a part of Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation (MCC) for electrolyte manufacturing technology anywhere in the world. MUIS is a joint venture (JV) between MCC and UBE Corporation and is a group company of Mitsubishi Chemical Group, a Japanese conglomerate. The Group has a leading presence in electrolytes used in lithium-ion batteries, created over a span of 30 years, and operates five electrolyte manufacturing plants located in Japan, USA, UK and China.

Neogen Chemicals’ products are used in sectors from pharmaceutical and agrochemical, to specialty polymers, to chemicals and vapour absorption chillers - original-equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and with new upcoming usage in lithium-ion battery materials for energy storage and electric vehicles (EV) application.