InterBattery 2026
Umicore successfully concluded its participation in InterBattery 2026, Korea’s largest battery industry exhibition, held at COEX in Seoul from March 11 to 13.
Under the slogan, “Umicore – 200 Years of Materials Expertise & European-Standard Supply Chain – Materials for Next-Generation Batteries,” Umicore’s booth welcomed many visitors over the three-day exhibition. Visitors included major global car and battery manufacturers as well as customers and partners with exchanges reflecting sustained interest in next generation battery materials and supply chain solutions.
At this year’s exhibition, Umicore’s Battery Cathode Materials business unit showcased a comprehensive next-generation Cathode Active Materials (CAM) portfolio spanning the full spectrum of EV segments, from premium to mass-market vehicles. Centered around high-performance high-nickel (Hi-Ni) NMC, it presented key material solutions for solid-state batteries, targeting the projected supply chain growth over the next decade.
Umicore also highlighted its ‘Closed Loop’ system, built on more than 135 years of metals processing expertise. This circular business model enables, among others, the recovery of critical raw materials from end-of-life batteries and their reintegration into new battery materials. Spanning the entire value chain, from raw material sourcing to recycling, Umicore’s circularity system drew attention from global car and battery manufacturers as a solution that addresses supply chain security, regulatory readiness and sustainability.
On the first day of the Battery Conference held in conjunction with InterBattery, Karena Cancilleri, Executive Vice President at Umicore, delivered a keynote titled “Partnering for Europe: Regulatory Alignment and NMC Strategy.”
Cancilleri said, “European battery regulation is not just about compliance; it increasingly defines market access. For companies placing batteries on the European market, long-term success depends on aligning early with sustainability, traceability and circularity requirements and embedding them into product and supply-chain decisions from the start. With 200 years of materials expertise and our circular business model, Umicore combines a strong industrial presence in Asia with deep engagement in Europe’s regulatory environment, helping partners translate regulatory direction into practical execution across the battery value chain.” She highlighted the importance for companies facing regulatory changes to simultaneously strengthen supply chain resilience and technological competitiveness.
Jundong Lu, Head of Asia at Umicore Battery Materials, stated, “InterBattery 2026 provided a meaningful platform to engage with our partners and stakeholders on Umicore’s battery material solutions and business strategy amid a rapidly evolving market environment.” He added, “By leveraging our differentiated portfolio and advanced battery materials technologies, we will continue to support global customers in building resilient supply chains and further strengthen our role as a strategic partner driving innovation in next-generation mobility.”
Umicore, headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, is a global circular materials technology group providing advanced material solutions through four Business Groups: Catalysis, Recycling, Specialty Materials and Battery Materials. In Korea, Umicore operates three cathode materials production plants and a large-scale global R&D center in Cheonan, serving as a key partner within the domestic battery industry ecosystem.
