TOKYO – August 6, 2026 – HighChem (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Yuichi Taka, President) announced that HighChem (Shanghai) International Trading Co., Ltd. ("HighChem Shanghai"), its group company focused on trading operations in China, has entered into a non-exclusive license agreement with Asahi Kasei Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Koshiro Kudo, President) covering Asahi Kasei's Acetolyte™ super-ion-conductive electrolyte technology for the Chinese market. Under the agreement, HighChem Shanghai will utilize Asahi Kasei's proprietary Acetolyte™ technology to support its commercialization in China, marking the first licensing agreement for the technology in the Chinese market. The partnership is expected to accelerate the adoption of next-generation electrolyte technology for high-performance batteries while strengthening HighChem's technology licensing business in China.
Overview of the License Agreement
Under the non-exclusive license agreement, HighChem Shanghai has obtained manufacturing and sales rights for Asahi Kasei's Acetolyte™ technology. Leveraging HighChem Shanghai's extensive customer base and business network in China's battery materials market, the company will supply electrolyte solutions incorporating the technology to battery manufacturers across China. Driven by the rapid growth of the electric vehicle (EV) and energy storage system (ESS) markets, demand for high-performance lithium-ion batteries continues to expand in China. Through this partnership, Asahi Kasei and HighChem Shanghai aim to accelerate the adoption of Acetolyte™ electrolytes by strengthening customer development and establishing a reliable supply framework for the Chinese market.
Osamu Matsuzaki, Senior Executive Officer of Asahi Kasei and Head of Corporate R&D, added, “We have steadily expanded the Acetolyte™ business through licensing partnerships in Europe. This first license agreement in China represents a significant advance in the global extension of our technology. By partnering with HighChem Shanghai, we can deliver innovative solutions to customers in this major market while further strengthening our licensing-based growth strategy.”
“Having focused on the lithium-ion battery business for nearly 20 years, HighChem has knowledge and extensive business experience in the Chinese market,” said Yueyuan Long, General Manager of HighChem Shanghai. “Acetolyte™ offers excellent low-temperature performance, and we believe that our collaboration with Asahi Kasei will enable us to maximize the value of this technology and open up new possibilities for the battery industry.” Asahi Kasei’s Acetolyte™ features high ionic conductivity, enabling increased battery power output at low temperatures and improved durability at high temperatures—an ongoing challenge for current LIBs. By enabling smaller battery packs with greater energy density, Acetolyte™ reduces costs for manufacturers.
About HighChem's Licensing Business
HighChem is engaged in technology licensing and commercialization, helping bring innovative chemical technologies developed by Japanese companies to global markets, particularly China. Through technology acquisition and licensing, the company promotes the industrial implementation of advanced technologies and supports their commercialization on a global scale.
One of HighChem's flagship licensing businesses is SEG® (Syngas to Ethylene Glycol) technology, which the company has developed since 2010. Based on technology originally developed by UBE Corporation, the SEG® process enables the production of ethylene glycol from synthesis gas. HighChem established the technology for commercial-scale production and has promoted licensing and marketing activities primarily in China. To date, HighChem has concluded 23 license agreements, with the combined production capacity of licensed plants reaching approximately 10 million metric tons per year. In addition, HighChem is engaged in the manufacturing and sales business of DMC (dimethyl carbonate) in Shaanxi Province, China, operating one of the world’s largest-scale facilities. DMC is one of the key solvents used in lithium-ion battery electrolytes and can also be utilized in Acetolyte™ electrolytes.
In recent years, HighChem has continued to expand its portfolio of advanced Japanese technologies. In 2024, the company acquired caprolactam production technology from Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. In the field of high-performance PLA (polylactic acid), HighChem further strengthened its technology platform by acquiring high-molecular-weight PLA production technology from Ricoh Company, Ltd. in 2025, followed by SC-PLA (stereo complex polylactic acid) production technology from Teijin Limited later that year.
By introducing innovative Japanese technologies to global markets, HighChem continues to build a proven track record in technology licensing while promoting the industrialization and commercialization of next-generation technologies that create new value.
About HighChem Corporation
HighChem is a technology-driven trading and manufacturing company that serves as a bridge between the Japanese and Chinese chemical industries. Leveraging the agility of a trading company and the technical expertise of a manufacturer, HighChem has expanded its business beyond chemicals into food ingredients, life sciences, and next-generation energy, contributing to the realization of a more sustainable society.
- Company Name: HighChem Company Limited
- Head Quarters: Tokyo Toranomon Global Square 11F, 1-3-1 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0001, Japan
- President and Representative Director: Yuichi Taka
- Business Areas: Chemical trading; technology licensing; catalyst development, manufacturing and contract production; green chemicals; and next-generation energy development.
Media Contact
- HighChem Company Limited Corporate Communications Office
- Contact: Eriko Kuroiwa Mobile: +81-90-6539-4213 Tel: +81-3-5251-8580 E-mail: koho@highchem.co.jp