Microporous
Microporous is a global manufacturer of high-performance battery separators, producing coated lithium-ion (ionForce®), natural rubber, PE, PE-rubber hybrid, and AGM separators for automotive, motive power, stationary, EV, and energy storage customers through direct offtake agreements with battery manufacturers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersPiney Flats, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Microporous does
Microporous is a global manufacturer of high-performance battery separators serving the lead-acid and lithium-ion battery industries. The company produces a portfolio of branded products including ionForce® coated wet-process PE lithium-ion separators with ceramic (Boehmite or Alumina) and polymer binder coatings at thicknesses of 5-16 µm; Ace-Sil® and Flex-Sil® natural rubber separators (the company is the only producer of natural rubber-based separators in the world); DuroForce® PE separators; CellForce® PE-rubber hybrids for enhanced flooded batteries; and GlassForce® AGM separators. Its products serve automotive (SLI, start-stop, micro-hybrid EFB), motive power (forklifts, golf carts), stationary (telecom, UPS), EV, and energy storage system end markets across North America, Europe, and global customers.
Microporous operates three manufacturing facilities: its Piney Flats, Tennessee headquarters (operational since 1971, ISO 9001 certified, began ionForce coated lithium-ion production in Q1 2025), the Feistritz im Rosental, Austria facility (operational since 2008, ISO 9001 and 14001 certified), and the Danville, Virginia facility currently under construction at the Southern Virginia Megasite (groundbreaking November 2024, construction start May 2026, production targeted late 2027, designed to support approximately 65 GWh of annual lithium-ion battery production). Combined planned coated separator capacity across the three sites is 630 million to 1.25 billion m²/year at full build-out, alongside 130 million m²/year of lead-acid capacity.
Microporous operates a sales-led B2B go-to-market, selling directly to battery cell manufacturers through long-term offtake agreements covering lithium-ion, sodium-ion, and lithium-sulfur chemistries. The company is privately held by Trent Capital Partners, which acquired full ownership in 2024, with additional financing from Eagle Point Credit Management and Elda River Capital Management. Microporous has secured more than $400 million in cumulative public and private capital commitments, including a $100 million DOE Advanced Energy Manufacturing grant, a $160 million IRA Section 48C tax credit allocation, and Virginia state incentives, positioning its products as IRA Section 30D Clean Vehicle Tax Credit eligible for North American EV production.
Microporous firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Microporous
- Legal name
- Microporous LLC
- Website
- https://microporous.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Microporous is a global manufacturer of high-performance battery separators, producing coated lithium-ion (ionForce®), natural rubber, PE, PE-rubber hybrid, and AGM separators for automotive, motive power, stationary, EV, and energy storage customers through direct offtake agreements with battery manufacturers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Microporous industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Battery Separators
- NAICS
- Battery Manufacturing (33591)
- SIC
- Plastic Materials, Synth Resins & Nonvulcan Elastomers (2821)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Separators & Membranes Manufacturing (EUAFABAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Thermal Management & Safety Components for Battery Packs (EUAFABAL)
Keywords
Where Microporous is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Piney Flats
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Microporous business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Battery Separator Sales: Microporous generates revenue through the sale of battery separators including lead-acid separators (Ace-Sil®, Flex-Sil®, DuroForce®, CellForce®, GlassForce®) and lithium-ion separators (ionForce®). Revenue is generated from long-term offtake agreements with domestic battery manufacturers covering lithium-ion, sodium-ion, and lithium-sulfur chemistries.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Microporous product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Microporous develops, manufactures, and sells high-performance battery separators used inside lithium-ion and lead-acid batteries. Its lithium-ion offering (ionForce®) consists of ultra-thin wet-process PE separators with ceramic (Boehmite or Alumina) and polymer (PVDF or Acrylic/PMMA) coatings, while its lead-acid offering includes natural rubber separators (Ace-Sil®, Flex-Sil®), UHMWPE separators (DuroForce® CL, DuroForce® ULTRA™, DuroForce® ULTRA X™), PE-rubber hybrids (CellForce®, CellForce® ULR™), and Absorbent Glass Mat separators (GlassForce® IG™, GE™, EB™). Products are sold directly to battery cell manufacturers worldwide for use in EVs, energy storage, automotive SLI/start-stop, motive power, and stationary backup applications.
Product overview
Microporous is a global manufacturer of battery separators with over 90 years of experience, producing both lithium-ion and lead-acid battery separators. The company operates a portfolio of branded products: ionForce® for coated lithium-ion separators (wet process PE with ceramic/polymer coatings for EVs and energy storage); and multiple lead-acid separator lines including rubber-based products (Ace-Sil®, Flex-Sil®), PE separators (DuroForce® CL, DuroForce® ULTRA™, DuroForce® ULTRA X™), PE-rubber hybrids (CellForce®, CellForce® ULR™), and Absorbent Glass Mats (GlassForce® IG™, GE™, EB™). The product portfolio serves automotive, industrial, motive power, stationary, and energy storage markets across three manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and Austria.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ionForce: Coated lithium-ion battery separator products for EVs, energy storage, and industrial applications
- DuroForce ULTRA X
- Ace-Sil
- Flex-Sil
- DuroForce CL
- DuroForce ULTRA
- CellForce
- CellForce ULR
- GlassForce IG
- GlassForce GE
- GlassForce EB
Products and services
- ionForce® Coated Lithium-Ion Battery Separators Ultra-thin wet-process PE lithium-ion battery separators with ceramic (Boehmite or Alumina) coatings at 1-5 µm and polymer binders (PVDF or Acrylic/PMMA) at 1-3 µm; base film thickness 5-16 µm; single or double-sided coatings; IRA Section 30D Clean Vehicle Tax Credit eligible. Designed for EV, energy storage, and industrial lithium-ion battery cell manufacturers.
- Ace-Sil® Rubber Battery Separators Premium natural rubber separators with amorphous silica and sulfur; 700 µm backweb thickness; 55% volume porosity; 340 electrical resistance. Provides 20+ years cycle life in stationary and specialty lead-acid battery applications.
- Flex-Sil® Rubber Battery Separators Premium natural rubber and amorphous silica separators with 380 µm backweb thickness, 40% volume porosity, and 300 electrical resistance. Market leader for antimony suppression in deep cycle lead-acid battery applications.
- DuroForce® CL Polyethylene Separators UHMWPE separators with amorphous silica and clean oil; 450 µm backweb thickness; 60% volume porosity; 230 electrical resistance; 19% total oil content. Designed for industrial lead-acid battery applications requiring excellent oxidation resistance.
- DuroForce® ULTRA™ Polyethylene Separators UHMWPE separators with specially formulated oil for automotive applications; 200 µm backweb thickness; 55 electrical resistance; 17% total oil content; 350% elongation (CMD); 14N puncture resistance. Designed for automotive lead-acid batteries with thin backwebs and excellent oxidation resistance.
- DuroForce® ULTRA X™ Polyethylene Separators Specialized polyethylene separator technology for Enhanced Flooded Batteries (EFB), designed with long-lasting materials and innovative technology to redefine future EFB battery performance.
- CellForce® PE-Rubber Hybrid Separators PE-rubber hybrid separators combining UHMWPE, amorphous silica, clean oil, and rubber; 350 µm backweb thickness; 180 electrical resistance. Combines antimony suppression and oxidation resistance for industrial motive and stationary lead-acid battery applications.
- CellForce® ULR™ PE-Rubber Hybrid Separators Novel PE/rubber hybrid separators with ultra-low electrical resistance (50 MΩ–cm²); 250 µm backweb thickness; 62.5% volume porosity. Designed for Enhanced Flooded Batteries (EFB) in automotive start/stop applications.
- GlassForce® IG™ Absorbent Glass Mat Separators Absorbent Glass Mat separators with engineered BET Surface Area of 0.9-1.3 m²/g; 100% glass-synthetic blends with 160-420 g/m² grammage. Designed for automotive PowerSports, motorcycles, and e-mobility applications.
- GlassForce® GE™ Absorbent Glass Mat Separators Absorbent Glass Mat separators with engineered BET Surface Area of 1.3-1.6 m²/g. Designed for automotive SLI and Start/Stop lead-acid battery applications.
- GlassForce® EB™ Absorbent Glass Mat Separators Absorbent Glass Mat separators with engineered BET Surface Area of 1.6-2.2 m²/g. Designed for stationary and specialty lead-acid battery applications including telecom, UPS, ESS, aviation, and marine.
Quantifiable outcome
- Supporting approximately 65 GWh of annual lithium-ion battery production at full capacity from Danville facility
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Microporous
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Microporous technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Microporous partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- American Battery Leadership Coalition (ABLC)coreMicroporous is a founding member of the American Battery Leadership Coalition (ABLC), an industry group to advance sodium-ion battery technology as a scalable, non-lithium alternative for U.S. energy storage. Coalition includes Alsym Energy, Peak Energy, ESS Tech, Batri, Ingevity, Mana, NAION, and Re:Build Manufacturing.
- American Battery Factory InccoreMicroporous signed an off-take MoU with American Battery Factory Inc in September 2024 to supply separator materials for ABF's lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery cell production.
- Commonwealth of Virginia / Virginia Economic Development PartnershipcoreVirginia state government provided support including a MEI Commission-approved special appropriation of up to $60.6 million based on investment of more than $1.3 billion. Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission approved up to $25 million in low-interest financing for natural gas service.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves14 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Microporous competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Entek International: U.S.-based manufacturer of battery separators for lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries. Most direct comparable to Microporous as a North American-focused separator specialist serving both automotive and energy storage markets.
- Senior Technology: U.S.-based manufacturer of absorbent glass mat (AGM) separators for lead-acid and lithium batteries. Direct comparable in the AGM separator segment to Microporous's GlassForce® product line.
Broad incumbents
- Asahi Kasei (Hipore / Celgard): Global leader in battery separators through Hipore (PE) and acquired Celgard (US-based, now part of Asahi Kasei). Dominant in wet-process Li-ion separator manufacturing with massive global scale that dwarfs Microporous's emerging capacity.
- SK IE Technology: Korean subsidiary of SK Innovation producing wet-process PE separators for EV batteries globally. Major Asian incumbent competing for IRA-driven North American gigafactory supply contracts.
- Toray Industries: Japanese materials conglomerate with significant battery separator business (Setela brand). Produces wet and dry process PE separators with global manufacturing presence and established OEM relationships.
- Sumitomo Chemical: Japanese chemical company producing separators and other battery materials. Major Asian supplier with established positions in Japanese and Korean battery manufacturers.
- Mitsubishi Chemical Group: Japanese chemicals company producing battery separators and other lithium-ion battery materials. Major Asian incumbent with diversified energy storage materials portfolio.
Emerging players
- W-Scope: Korean battery separator manufacturer with growing focus on wet-process PE separators for EV applications. Has announced North American capacity plans to serve IRA-driven demand.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Microporous social profiles
Digital presenceMicroporous compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Microporous financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Microporous leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Microporous funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Microporous M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Microporous
What does Microporous do?
Microporous develops, manufactures, and sells high-performance battery separators used inside lithium-ion and lead-acid batteries. Its lithium-ion offering (ionForce®) consists of ultra-thin wet-process PE separators with ceramic (Boehmite or Alumina) and polymer (PVDF or Acrylic/PMMA) coatings, while its lead-acid offering includes natural rubber separators (Ace-Sil®, Flex-Sil®), UHMWPE separators (DuroForce® CL, DuroForce® ULTRA™, DuroForce® ULTRA X™), PE-rubber hybrids (CellForce®, CellForce® ULR™), and Absorbent Glass Mat separators (GlassForce® IG™, GE™, EB™). Products are sold directly to battery cell manufacturers worldwide for use in EVs, energy storage, automotive SLI/start-stop, motive power, and stationary backup applications.
Is Microporous a public or private company?
Microporous is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Microporous founded?
Microporous was founded in 1991. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Microporous based?
Microporous is headquartered in Piney Flats, United States, in the North America region.
How does Microporous make money?
One revenue line is on record: battery Separator Sales.
Who are Microporous's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Entek International and Senior Technology. Broad incumbents are Asahi Kasei (Hipore / Celgard), SK IE Technology, Toray Industries, Sumitomo Chemical and Mitsubishi Chemical Group. W-Scope is listed as an emerging player.
Does Microporous have an API?
No public API is recorded for Microporous.
What industry is Microporous in?
Microporous's product category is Battery Separators. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAFABAE, Separators & Membranes Manufacturing, with a secondary code of EUAFABAL, Thermal Management & Safety Components for Battery Packs. Its NAICS code is 33591 and its SIC code is 2821.