The German thin film specialist Leonhard Kurz and the Chinese tech company Horizon have formed a European joint venture called Horizon-Kurz New Material Technology .
Leonhard Kurz and Horizon want to focus on the market for battery separator films in their joint venture. The aim is to significantly improve the safety, service life and performance of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles.
While the two have not disclosed the exact ownership structure of the joint venture, it is clear that Horizon has a majority stake. Rainer Süßmann, who is Executive Senior Vice President of the Business Area Plastic Decoration at Kurz and now Managing Director of Horizon-Kurz New Material, revealed: “With the new company and Horizon as the majority partner, we are tapping into a highly dynamic market segment with enormous future potential.”
In batteries, separator foils have the task of reliably separating the anode and cathode from each other and at the same time allowing ions to pass through. The new joint venture aims to contribute “highly functional ceramic coatings” for these separator foils, which are primarily intended to ensure the thermal stability and mechanical strength of the battery.
Kurz concluded in its statement, “Horizon-Kurz is a pioneer in one of the most critical technology fields of the coming decades,” noting that the founding of the company is a commitment to “regional focus and European value chains.”
kurzusa.com
