POSCO Future M

What POSCO Future M does

POSCO Future M is a South Korea-based manufacturer of battery materials for electric vehicles and energy storage systems. The company is publicly listed on the Korea Exchange (KOSPI) and operates as a subsidiary of POSCO Holdings, the steel-and-materials conglomerate. Founded in 1971 as POSCO Chemical, it entered the battery materials business around 2010-2011 with anode materials and added cathode materials production in 2017, becoming Korea's only company producing both cathode and anode active materials. It rebranded to POSCO Future M in March 2023 to reflect its strategic shift toward eco-friendly future materials.

The company manufactures four core product families. For cathodes: ultra high-nickel NCM/NCA/NCMA materials with 95%+ nickel content for long-range EVs, and LFP cathode materials through a 50,000-ton JV with CNGR/FINO for ESS and entry-level EVs. For anodes: natural graphite processed via the Future Graph subsidiary in Sejong, artificial graphite produced at Pohang and (from 2028) Vietnam, and silicon anode materials using proprietary nano-sizing and carbon composite technology (20%+ silicon blending, 80% capacity retention after 1,000 cycles, 4x energy density vs graphite) targeted for 2028 mass production. Adjacent lines include advanced carbon materials (pitch, needle coke through PMC Tech and P&O Chemical) and industrial basic materials (refractories and lime).

POSCO Future M operates as a B2B enterprise supplier, selling through long-term (5-10 year) supply contracts negotiated directly with global battery manufacturers and EV automakers. Major customers include Samsung SDI (KRW 40 trillion NCA deal, 2023-2032), LG Energy Solution (KRW 30 trillion high-nickel cathode deal), Ultium Cells (KRW 13.77 trillion NCMA + KRW 9.39 trillion artificial graphite), Tesla (KRW 1 trillion), Morrow Batteries and undisclosed Japanese OEMs. Backlog disclosed in March 2026 exceeded KRW 4 trillion. Manufacturing is geographically distributed across Pohang (headquarters, artificial graphite demo, LFP conversion), Gwangyang (world's largest 90,000-ton cathode plant), Sejong (graphite processing), Cheonan (Factorial solid-state pilot), and Thai Nguyen, Vietnam (55,000-ton artificial graphite plant under construction). Next-generation technology partnerships include Factorial (solid-state), Sila Nanotechnologies (silicon anodes), Molten Industries (methane-pyrolysis graphite), and Kumho Petrochemical/BEI (anode-free lithium-metal batteries).

Name

POSCO Future M

Legal name

주식회사 포스코퓨처엠 (POSCO Future M Co., Ltd.)

Website

https://poscofuturem.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

POSCO Future M is a South Korean battery materials manufacturer — Korea's only producer of both cathode (NCM/NCA/NCMA/LFP) and anode (graphite, silicon) active materials — supplying global EV and ESS battery makers via long-term enterprise contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Battery Materials

NAICS

Battery Manufacturing (33591), Basic Chemical Manufacturing (3251)

SIC

Primary Smelting & Refining Of Nonferrous Metals (3330), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)

akta.pro primary industry

Cathode Active Materials (CAM) Manufacturing (EUAFABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Anode Materials Manufacturing (Graphite, Silicon, LTO) (EUAFABAC), Battery-Grade Chemical Processing (LiOH/Li2CO3, Ni/Co Sulfates, Mn Sulfate) (IMAKAFAI), Battery Materials Refining & Re-Manufacturing Feedstocks (Li, Ni, Co, Mn, Graphite Salts) (EUAIAIAJ)

Keywords

• Battery cathode materials
• Battery anode materials
• Lithium-ion materials
• Solid-state battery materials
• Refractory and lime products

Headquarters

HQ city

Pohang

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Battery Materials Sales (Cathode & Anode): POSCO Future M generates revenue primarily from manufacturing and selling cathode active materials (NCM, NCA, NCMA, LFP) and anode active materials (natural graphite, artificial graphite, silicon anodes) to global battery manufacturers and EV automakers. Revenue is project-based with long-term supply contracts spanning 5+ years, with major deals totaling over 4 trillion KRW in backlog.
2. Base Materials (Refractory & Lime): Revenue from industrial basic materials including refractory products for steel mills and lime/chemical products. This segment contributed 323.9 billion won in sales in Q1 2026 with 18.8 billion won operating profit.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

POSCO Future M manufactures and sells cathode active materials (NCM, NCA, NCMA, LFP) and anode active materials (natural graphite, artificial graphite, silicon anodes) for lithium-ion and next-generation batteries, alongside advanced chemical materials and industrial basic materials such as refractories and lime. It supplies these materials directly to global battery manufacturers and electric vehicle automakers through long-term supply contracts.

Product overview

POSCO Future M is a battery materials company that operates as part of POSCO Holdings, organized into three main business divisions: Battery Materials (이차전지소재), Advanced Chemical Materials (첨단화학소재), and Industrial Basic Materials (산업기초소재). The Battery Materials division is the core business, producing cathode active materials (양극재) including ultra high-nickel NCM/NCMA/NCA variants and LFP materials, as well as anode active materials (음극재) including natural graphite, artificial/graphite, and silicon anodes. The company serves major global automakers and battery manufacturers including Samsung SDI, LG Energy Solution, SK On, and Ultium Cells. Production facilities are located in Pohang and Gwangyang, South Korea, with new plants under construction in Vietnam for artificial graphite anodes and a joint venture for LFP cathode materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ultra High-Nickel Cathode Materials (NCM/NCA/NCMA) High-nickel content cathode materials (95%+ nickel) including NCM, NCA, and NCMA variants for long-range electric vehicle batteries, providing high energy density for extended driving range.
• LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) Cathode Materials

Quantifiable outcome

• Silicon anodes store over 4x the energy of conventional graphite-based anodes while maintaining 80%+ capacity after 1,000 charge/discharge cycles at 20%+ silicon blending ratios
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Undisclosed Japanese AutomakerminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 May 2026POSCO Future M signed an exclusive development agreement with a Japanese automaker for cathode materials to be used in all-solid-state batteries. The deal involves exclusively developing and supplying cathode materials for the automaker's project — a first for Japanese automakers.
• Kumho PetrochemicalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2026POSCO Future M, Kumho Petrochemical, and BEI signed an MOU on March 26 to jointly develop anode-free lithium-metal battery technology targeting drones, robotics, aviation, and high-performance EVs. The technology promises 30-50% higher energy density and more than 2x charging speed vs conventional lithium-ion batteries. POSCO Future M develops cathode materials, Kumho Petrochemical supplies carbon nanotubes for improved conductivity, and BEI leads battery cell design and engineering.
• Sila NanotechnologiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 March 2026POSCO Future M signed an MOU with US-based Sila Nanotechnologies at COEX in Seoul to jointly develop next-generation battery materials, combining POSCO Future M's cathode and anode capabilities with Sila's silicon anode technology that can store up to 10x more energy than graphite. The partnership uses carbon nanomaterial technologies to suppress volumetric expansion during charge-discharge cycles. Both companies agreed to explore using POSCO Future M's carbon material technology to improve cost competitiveness of premium-priced silicon anode materials.
• Molten IndustriescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 March 2026POSCO Future M signed an MOU with US-based Molten Industries to jointly develop natural graphite anode material feedstock using methane gas pyrolysis. Molten produces graphite through its proprietary methane pyrolysis process with lower metallic impurities than mined graphite, reducing purification steps and production costs. POSCO Future M processes the graphite at its Future Graph subsidiary in Sejong and manufactures anode materials at its Sejong plant. Hydrogen generated as a co-product is supplied to support POSCO's hydrogen reduction ironmaking (HyREX) initiative.
• Factorial Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 January 2026POSCO Future M invested in US solid-state battery company Factorial Inc. (investment agreement signed Jan 7, payment completed Jan 26) following an MOU signed in November 2025. The partnership aims to develop all-solid-state battery technology with POSCO Future M supplying high-quality cathode and other battery materials, while leveraging Factorial's automotive network spanning Korea, Europe, and North America. Factorial operates a pilot plant in Cheonan, South Korea, and is pursuing a US IPO with a ~$1.5 billion pro forma equity value. The companies are collaborating on sulfide-based solid electrolytes and silicon/lithium metal anode materials for EVs, robotics, and urban air mobility.
• CNGR / FINOcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2026POSCO Future M signed a joint venture agreement with CNGR and its Korean subsidiary FINO to manufacture LFP cathode materials. The JV company C&P New Material Technology will build an LFP cathode material plant at Pohang's Yeongil Bay General Industrial Complex 4, with construction beginning in 2026 and mass production targeted for 2027 at an initial annual capacity of up to 50,000 tons.
• Factorial Energy (initial MOU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 December 2025POSCO Future M and Factorial Energy signed an MOU at the Future Battery Forum in Berlin to cooperate on developing materials for all-solid-state batteries. Factorial had tested POSCO Future M's cathode material samples and found they demonstrated good rate capability, prompting the partnership to accelerate material development and achieve cost reductions at scale.
• Major Japanese Battery ManufacturerminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 11 July 2025POSCO Future M signed a supply agreement with a major Japanese battery manufacturer to supply natural graphite anode materials produced at its Sejong plant for use in EV batteries manufactured in Japan. The deal is a significant step in diversifying its global customer base, leveraging its integrated supply chain sourcing graphite raw materials from regions outside China.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Umicore: Belgium-based global leader in cathode active materials (NCM, high-nickel) and recycling for lithium-ion batteries, serving the same European and global automaker customer base as POSCO Future M.
• Sumitomo Metal Mining: Japanese producer of high-nickel NCA cathode materials with deep automaker relationships, directly comparable in chemistry portfolio and customer base to POSCO Future M's cathode business.
• Nichia Corporation: Japanese specialty chemical and cathode active material manufacturer with NCM offerings for automotive lithium-ion batteries, competing in the same high-quality cathode segment.
• Beijing Easpring Material Technology: Leading Chinese cathode active materials producer (NCM, NCA) supplying global battery makers, representing direct low-cost competition in the same chemistry space.
• Shenzhen BTR New Energy Materials: China's largest anode materials producer (natural and artificial graphite, silicon composites), a direct competitor to POSCO Future M's anode business and global price setter.
• Putailai (Shanghai Putailai New Energy Technology): Major Chinese artificial graphite and silicon-carbon anode manufacturer, direct competitor in the same anode materials categories POSCO Future M supplies globally.

Broad incumbents

• BASF Battery Materials: Diversified chemical giant with cathode active materials and precursors business serving global EV OEMs; broader portfolio but directly overlaps in NCM cathode production and recycling.
• LG Chem: Korean chemical major producing cathode materials and battery-related chemicals, partially overlapping with POSCO Future M's portfolio and a key domestic competitor in Korea.
• Mitsubishi Chemical Group: Japanese chemical conglomerate with battery materials, anode, and electrolyte offerings; broader portfolio but overlapping product lines for EV battery applications.

Others

• Targray Technology International: Canadian battery materials distributor and supplier of anode/cathode materials, comparable as a non-China battery materials supply-chain participant serving North American customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@poscofuturem
• Facebookfacebook.com/POSCOCHEMICAL
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/poscochemtech

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about POSCO Future M