SAMSUNG SDI has established a new R&D facility in Shanghai, China, following the establishment of similar research labs in Europe and the United States last year, enhancing its global R&D capabilities.
On the 1st, Samsung SDI announced the establishment of ‘SDI R&D China’ (SDIRC) in Shanghai. Previously, on July 1 of last year, ‘SDI R&D Europe’ (SDIRE) was established in Munich, Germany, followed by ‘SDI R&D America’ (SDIRA) in Boston, USA on August 15.
By setting up research institutes in key overseas bases such as Europe, the United States, and China, Samsung SDI has completed its global R&D network. Additionally, this will allow early acquisition of country-specific competitive technologies, including specialized battery processing/equipment, next-generation batteries, and material technologies.
SDIRC plans to strengthen its cooperation network with leading universities and research institutions in China to acquire specialized technologies and monitor industry trends, as well as to establish a battery materials verification lab for discovering and verifying new functional and low-cost materials.
Based on the established network, Samsung SDI is expected to accelerate the process of discovering new materials by engaging in industry-academia collaboration projects with universities and by building its own evaluation infrastructure.
China has been focusing on the battery industry under government initiatives, such as the announcement of the ‘New Energy Vehicle Industrial Development Plan’ in 2020, and is nurturing specialized battery personnel in over 30 universities while hosting numerous battery cell/material companies and research institutions.
Samsung SDI is investing at an industry-leading level in research and development, concentrating on the development of next-generation battery technologies, which are seen as vital for future growth. According to Samsung SDI’s business report disclosed last March, its R&D expenditure in 2022 reached 1.0764 trillion KRW, setting a new record.
Samsung SDI has signed agreements to nurture battery talents with prestigious universities both domestically and abroad, such as Seoul National University, POSTECH, and KAIST, and is holding ‘Tech & Career Forums’ targeting domestic Ph.D. level personnel to secure and cultivate future talents, aiming to rise as a global top-tier company by 2030.
Choi Yun-ho, CEO of Samsung SDI, stated, “The establishment of global R&D research institutes is aimed at securing specialized global technological capabilities and excellent talents regionally” and added, “We plan to further enhance Samsung SDI’s competitive edge in superior technologies through cooperation with outstanding universities and research institutions.”
Seong Jin daedusj@autodiary.kr