Top 7 China Battery Materials Companies 2025
China's battery materials market reached RMB 1.8 trillion in 2025, with Chinese companies controlling 80%+ of global lithium battery material production. China dominates every segment of the battery material value chain from lithium refining to cathode and anode manufacturing. CATL and BYD's massive battery cell production drives a domestic materials ecosystem that is increasingly supplying global battery manufacturers, with Chinese cathode materials used in 70%+ of global EV batteries.
TL;DR: China's battery materials market reaches RMB 1.8T. CATL leads cathode demand while GEM (格林美) dominates battery recycling and Tianqi Lithium controls 20%+ of global lithium supply.
Top Companies
GEM (格林美)
World's largest battery recyclerGEM is the world's largest battery recycling company, processing 100K+ tons of spent batteries annually. It recovers lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese from used batteries and manufactures recycled battery materials, creating a closed-loop supply chain that reduces material costs by 30% vs virgin materials.
Tianqi Lithium (天齐锂业)
20%+ global lithium supplyTianqi Lithium is one of the world's largest lithium producers with stakes in major lithium mines in Australia (Greenbushes) and Chile (SQM). It controls 20%+ of global lithium chemical production, supplying battery-grade lithium carbonate and hydroxide to CATL, BYD, and global battery manufacturers.
EcoPro CM (via Chinese operations)
High-nickel cathode leaderThrough joint ventures and technology licensing, high-nickel cathode production in China has scaled dramatically. Chinese cathode material leaders including Ronbay (容百科技) and Shanshan (杉杉股份) produce 500K+ tons of NCM cathode materials annually, powering 70%+ of global EV battery production.
Ronbay Technology (容百科技)
NCM cathode material leaderRonbay Technology is China's leading ternary cathode (NCM) material manufacturer, producing 200K+ tons of NCM811 and NCM905 high-nickel cathodes annually. Its products are used by CATL, Samsung SDI, and SK Innovation, with 30%+ market share in China's high-nickel cathode segment.
BTR New Material (贝特瑞)
World's largest anode material producerBTR New Material is the world's largest producer of both natural and artificial graphite anode materials, supplying 300K+ tons annually. Its silicon-carbon composite anodes achieve 15-20% higher energy density than pure graphite, and it is developing solid-state battery anode materials for next-generation batteries.
Guangzhou Tinci (天赐材料)
Electrolyte market leaderGuangzhou Tinci is the world's largest lithium battery electrolyte manufacturer, producing 500K+ tons annually. It serves CATL, BYD, and global battery manufacturers with customized electrolyte formulations, and has vertically integrated into lithium salt (LiPF6) production to control costs.
Enchem (恩捷股份)
Battery separator film leaderEnchem (Semcorp) is the world's largest lithium battery separator manufacturer with 15B+ square meters of annual production capacity. Its wet-process separators serve 40%+ of China's battery market and 25%+ globally, with clients including CATL, BYD, LG Energy Solution, and Panasonic.
Comparison Table
| Company | Material Type | Annual Capacity | Global Share | Key Customers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GEM | Recycled materials | 100K+ tons recycled | Largest recycler | CATL, BYD |
| Tianqi Lithium | Lithium chemicals | 100K+ tons LCE | 20%+ global Li | CATL, global |
| Ronbay | NCM cathode | 200K+ tons | 30%+ China NCM | CATL, Samsung |
| BTR New Material | Anode materials | 300K+ tons | Largest anode | CATL, BYD, Samsung |
| Tinci | Electrolyte | 500K+ tons | Largest electrolyte | CATL, BYD |
| Enchem (Semcorp) | Separator film | 15B+ sqm | 25%+ global | CATL, LG, Panasonic |
| Shanshan | Anode + cathode | 200K+ tons | Top 3 anode | CATL, BYD |
Frequently Asked Questions
How dominant is China in battery materials?
China controls 80%+ of global lithium battery material production: 90%+ of anode materials, 85%+ of separators, 75%+ of cathode materials, 70%+ of electrolytes, and 60%+ of lithium refining. This dominance stems from massive scale, integrated supply chains, and government industrial policy support.
What is China's battery recycling capacity?
China has the world's largest battery recycling infrastructure, processing 500K+ tons of spent batteries annually (2024). GEM leads with 100K+ tons, followed by Brunp (CATL's recycling arm) and Huayou Cobalt. Recycled materials now supply 15-20% of China's total battery material demand, targeted to reach 50% by 2030.
How does the lithium supply chain work in China?
China's lithium supply chain starts with imported lithium ore from Australia and South American brine, refined into battery-grade lithium carbonate and hydroxide by companies like Tianqi and Ganfeng. China refines 60%+ of global lithium despite producing only 10% of raw lithium, controlling the value-added processing stage.
What are the next-generation battery materials?
Key next-generation materials include solid-state electrolytes (Qingtao Energy, Ganfeng), silicon-carbon anodes (BTR, Shanshan), lithium-rich cathodes (Ronbay, Easpring), and sodium-ion battery materials (HiNa Battery, CATL). China leads in sodium-ion commercialization with CATL planning 100GWh+ production capacity by 2026.
How is China's battery material market evolving?
The market is evolving from volume-driven to technology-driven: (1) cathode shift to high-nickel NCM905 and lithium-rich, (2) anode shift to silicon-carbon composites, (3) electrolyte shift to solid-state, (4) supply chain shift toward recycled materials, and (5) geographic expansion of Chinese material companies to Europe and Southeast Asia.