Asahi Kasei Accelerates Portfolio Transformation with Divestiture of Daramic Lead Battery Separator Business

Key Terms

lithium-ion battery separator technical

A lithium-ion battery separator is a very thin, porous membrane placed between the battery’s positive and negative plates to prevent them from touching while letting charged particles flow through. Think of it like a coffee filter that keeps grounds apart while letting liquid pass; its quality affects safety, how fast a battery can charge and discharge, and how long the battery lasts, so improvements or shortages can directly influence costs, performance and investment value in companies that make or use batteries.

Hipore wet-process lithium-ion technology technical

A wet-process lithium-ion technology describes a method for making battery electrodes by mixing active materials into a liquid paste, spreading that paste onto metal foil, then drying and compressing it to form the energy-storing layers; “hipore” denotes a specific wet-process approach or product line. Investors care because the manufacturing method affects battery cost, consistency, energy density and production speed—similar to how a baking technique determines the quality and yield of a loaf.

photosensitive polyimide technical

Photosensitive polyimide is a plastic-like film used in electronics manufacturing that hardens or dissolves when exposed to light, allowing precise patterns to be created much like stenciling with a photocopy. Investors care because it is a key material in making chips, sensors, and advanced packages; its use affects product performance, manufacturing speed, yield and cost, so changes in demand, supply or process improvements can influence a maker's profitability and competitive position.

monomer technical

A monomer is a single small molecule that can join together with others to form long chains or networks, like individual beads linked on a necklace to make a string. Investors watch monomers because they are the basic raw materials behind many drugs, plastics and specialty materials; their availability, cost, purity and regulatory handling can affect manufacturing ability, product performance, safety profiles and profit margins.

TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Asahi Kasei, a diversified global manufacturer in the Healthcare, Homes, and Material sectors, announces its strategic divestiture of Daramic, a lead battery separator business, to Kingswood Capital Management, LP. The Daramic business transfer closed on December 1, 2025. The effect on Asahi Kasei’s consolidated financial results for fiscal 2025 is immaterial.

Progress of Asahi Kasei's business portfolio transformation.

“As we enter a new era for our company, it is critical that we align our resources with areas that will drive future growth,” said Hideyuki Yamagishi, Primary Executive Officer of Asahi Kasei Corporation and President of the Material Sector. “This divestiture represents a strategic step that allows Asahi Kasei to evolve its capabilities with high-potential initiatives, such as strengthening our electronics business and expanding our lithium-ion battery separator business in North America, both key drivers of profit growth.”

Asahi Kasei acquired Daramic through the purchase of Polypore in August 2015, gaining ownership of the lead battery separator business and the Celgard dry-process lithium-ion battery separator business. Moving forward, Asahi Kasei will strengthen its position in the battery separator market through continued investment in its Hipore wet-process lithium-ion technology, with a focus on the automotive sectors in North America, Japan, and Korea.

Under its three-year medium-term management plan "Trailblaze Together," Asahi Kasei is improving capital efficiency and accelerating earnings by converting past growth investments into tangible returns. To support this, the company is implementing structural reforms that channel resources to its key growth pillars—pharmaceuticals, critical care, overseas homes, and electronics.

Recent actions such as exiting methyl methacrylate (MMA) monomer and related businesses, and expanding capacity for Pimel photosensitive polyimide, demonstrate Asahi Kasei’s disciplined execution of this strategy and reinforce the foundation for sustained, profitable growth.

About Asahi Kasei

The Asahi Kasei Group contributes to life and living for people around the world. Since its foundation in 1922 with ammonia and cellulose fiber business, Asahi Kasei has consistently grown through the proactive transformation of its business portfolio to meet the evolving needs of every age. With more than 50,000 employees worldwide, the company contributes to sustainable society by providing solutions to the world’s challenges through its three business sectors of Healthcare, Homes, and Material. For more information, visit www.asahi-kasei.com.

Asahi Kasei is also dedicated to sustainability initiatives and is contributing to reaching a carbon neutral society by 2050. To learn more, visit https://www.asahi-kasei.com/sustainability/.

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North America Contact:

Asahi Kasei America Inc.

Christian OKeefe

christian.okeefe@ak-america.com

Europe Contact:

Asahi Kasei Europe GmbH

Sebastian Schmidt

sebastian.schmidt@asahi-kasei.eu

Source: Asahi Kasei