Bengaluru, July 21: Bengaluru-headquartered STEER World, a global leader in advanced materials transformation technologies, has been selected by a South Korean battery separator technology supplier and system integrator for a major lithium-ion battery separator manufacturing project in China, securing one of the largest export orders in the company’s history.
The South Korean company, a globally recognised battery separator technology supplier and system integrator delivering turnkey manufacturing lines worldwide, selected STEER’s proprietary Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene processing technology for deployment at one of China’s top five battery separator manufacturers. The selection follows a rigorous 09-month technical evaluation and application development programme, during which STEER’s proprietary Fractional Geometry Technology consistently demonstrated superior processing performance against multiple established global processing technologies. The project is expected to be commissioned during FY2027.
The current project is valued at approximately ₹60 crore and marks the beginning of a long-term strategic engagement with the customer. Beyond the initial project, STEER World expects to generate an estimated ₹35-40 crore in additional business through aftermarket products, process upgrades, spare parts, technical services and lifecycle support, taking the estimated lifetime value of the engagement to approximately ₹100 crore.
The project marks a significant milestone for STEER’s international growth and reflects the increasing global demand for advanced manufacturing technologies developed in India. More importantly, it reinforces India’s growing emergence as a supplier of high-value engineering solutions to the global battery manufacturing industry.
China is home to the world’s largest lithium-ion battery manufacturing ecosystem, accounting for the majority of global battery production capacity. Securing a project in this market represents a significant validation of STEER’s engineering capabilities and process innovation.Global investments in electric vehicles, battery gigafactories and energy storage systems continue to accelerate, driving unprecedented demand for advanced battery manufacturing technologies. Battery separator manufacturers are under increasing pressure to improve product quality, production efficiency and manufacturing economics while meeting increasingly stringent performance standards.
Battery separators are essential for the safety and performance of lithium-ion batteries. STEER’s proprietary technology improves the processing of key materials used in advanced separators, enabling more consistent production with fewer defects. During customer trials, the solution delivered smooth, high-quality separator sheets with improved efficiency and reliability. The supplied solution comprises four STEER OMEGA 160 co-rotating twin-screw extruders, integrated into the complete battery separator production line.
Commenting on the development, Nitin Gupta, Executive Director & Global CEO, STEER Advanced Manufacturing, said,
“Securing this project is a significant validation of STEER’s technology and engineering capabilities. Following a rigorous 09 month evaluation programme, the Korean technology partner selected STEER as part of its offering for one of China’s top five battery separator manufacturers. The project demonstrates that Indian-developed manufacturing technologies can compete successfully in some of the world’s most demanding industrial applications and reflects the growing confidence global battery manufacturers are placing in advanced engineering solutions developed in India.”
“The battery industry is undergoing one of the largest manufacturing expansions in modern industrial history. Manufacturers are increasingly investing in technologies that improve product quality, manufacturing efficiency and operating economics simultaneously. We are proud that STEER is contributing to this transformation through innovations developed and engineered in India”, added Nitin.
Dr. Prakash Hadimani, Vice President & Business Head, Special Applications and Global Head, Application Development Centre, STEER World, said, “Battery separator manufacturing demands an exceptional balance between material performance and manufacturing precision. Fractional Geometry Technology was designed to solve these challenges by delivering highly efficient mixing while minimising thermal and mechanical stress on the polymer. This enables manufacturers to achieve superior product quality, greater process consistency and improved operational efficiency, capabilities that are becoming increasingly critical as next-generation battery technologies continue to evolve.”
Today, STEER’s technologies support advanced processing applications across the battery value chain, including cathode materials, anode materials, battery separators and electrolyte-related formulations. This broad capability enables STEER to partner with battery manufacturers across multiple stages of the battery materials ecosystem.
As countries accelerate investments in electric mobility and energy storage, advanced manufacturing technologies are becoming a strategic differentiator across the battery value chain. Through continued innovation in materials transformation, process engineering and application development, STEER is expanding its role as a global technology partner while contributing to India’s emergence as an exporter of high-value engineering and advanced manufacturing solutions.