Consecutive major contract wins reflect supply chain premium and technology competitiveness
New plant to be established in Vietnam to fulfill orders; phased capacity expansion planned for additional orders
Expanded production capacity and stronger cost competitiveness expected to drive further global order growth
On the 16th, POSCO Future M signed a large-scale, long-term supply agreement with a global automaker to supply artificial graphite anode material.
The contract, valued at approximately KRW 1.0149 trillion, covers five years from 2027 to 2032, with provisions for extension by mutual agreement. The customer’s identity has been withheld until the conclusion of the contract for reasons of business confidentiality.
This is the largest supply agreement POSCO Future M has secured since entering the anode material business in 2011. The company currently supplies anode material to domestic battery manufacturers and companies, including GM, and previously signed a natural graphite anode material supply agreement with a major Japanese battery manufacturer in July 2025, followed by another agreement with a global automaker in October 2025 valued at approximately KRW 670 billion.
Having secured consecutive major anode material orders, POSCO Future M has established a solid foundation for sustained business growth by broadening its customer base and improving profitability.
This agreement complements the natural graphite anode material contract signed in October of last year, and POSCO Future M plans to pursue further collaboration with the same customer, extending into the cathode material and lithium business segments.
To fulfill this order, POSCO Future M has embarked on a phased expansion of its anode material production capacity. On the 5th, the company approved an investment of approximately KRW 357 billion to build a new plant for artificial graphite anode material in Vietnam. With this supply agreement, the company has secured the customer commitment underpinning its Phase 1 investment and plans to proceed with a Phase 2 investment to accommodate additional order volumes.
Building on its Vietnam investment, POSCO Future M is expected to expand its mass-production base to supply cost- and quality-competitive products to customers and continue growing its global order book.
This contract win is a testament to POSCO Future M’s supply chain solutions and technological capabilities, which are fully equipped to navigate trade regulations across major markets — achieved at a time when securing a stable anode material supply chain has become a growing priority for the EV and energy storage system (ESS) industries.
As Korea’s only graphite-based anode material producer, POSCO Future M has been at the forefront of supply chain stabilization for the domestic battery industry, beginning with the localization of natural graphite anode material in 2011 and the completion of its artificial graphite anode material plant in Pohang in 2021, thereby establishing a full-scale mass production system.
The company has also been working toward full vertical integration of its supply chain, spanning raw materials, intermediate inputs, and finished product manufacturing. For artificial graphite anode material, coal-based and petroleum-based coke derived from coal tar generated in POSCO’s steelmaking process serves as the primary feedstock. For natural graphite anode material, the company plans to establish a supply chain in which graphite ore is imported from Africa and other regions through the POSCO Group, with intermediate processing to be carried out at a spherical graphite plant currently being developed at Saemangeum.
POSCO Future M produces both natural and artificial graphite anode materials at scale, tailored to customer requirements, and has built a broad product portfolio by advancing the commercialization of silicon anode material for use in all-solid-state batteries and other next-generation applications. The company has earned broad recognition for its technological strengths through continuous process innovation aimed at improving productivity.
Leveraging these supply chain solutions and technological capabilities, POSCO Future M is currently in supply discussions with numerous customers in Korea, North America, and the EU for both cathode and anode materials. The company is committed to continuously strengthening its business competitiveness and expanding its sales, aiming to go beyond its standing as Korea’s only producer of both cathode and anode materials and emerge as a top-tier global battery materials player.
▲ Production line at POSCO Future M’s artificial graphite anode material plant in Pohang
▲ Production line at POSCO Future M’s artificial graphite anode material plant in Pohang