LG Chem Pushes for U.S. Battery Supply Chain Support at Tennessee Forum

LG Chem will attend a policy forum hosted by the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce to discuss support and cooperation strategies for advancing high-tech industries in the United States.

On Friday, LG Chem announced that it will participate in the “Tennessee Manufacturing Forum” in Nashville, Tennessee.

Held under the theme “Growing Manufacturing in Tennessee,” the forum brings together stakeholders from business, government, and academia to broadly discuss growth policies and the government’s role in revitalizing manufacturing in the state.

Ko Yoon Joo, Executive Vice President and Chief Sustainability Strategy Officer (CSSO) at LG Chem, will attend as the only panelist from a Korean company. She will join a policy discussion alongside Allen Borden, Deputy Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, and key American Chemistry Council and Tennessee State University panelists on topics such as advancing high-tech industries in the U.S. and strengthening the materials supply chain.

At the forum, Ko plans to emphasize that LG Chem’s cathode plant in Tennessee will serve as a key production base contributing to the localization of the electric vehicle battery materials supply chain in the U.S. and the expansion of its market share.

According to S&P market research, the United States has secured 75% of its electric vehicle battery production capacity domestically, including through foreign direct investment (FDI), achieving a high level of localization. However, the localization rate in battery materials such as cathodes and precursors remains significantly low.

LG Chem is constructing a cathode plant with an annual production capacity of 60,000 tons in the first phase, investing about 2 trillion won (about $1.48 billion) on a 1.7-million-square-meter (about 420 acres) site secured in Clarksville, Tennessee. The Tennessee plant, scheduled to begin operations in 2026, is expected to become the largest cathode plant in the United States, with the capacity to produce enough cathode materials annually for about 600,000 high-performance pure electric vehicles (EVs) capable of driving 500 kilometers (310 miles).

Regarding the forum, Ko stated, “To strengthen the supply chain for advanced industries such as battery materials in the U.S., federal subsidies and policy support are needed to encourage foreign investment.” She added, “If Tennessee’s strong manufacturing infrastructure is combined with government policy support, LG Chem’s innovation in the U.S. market will accelerate even further.”

Tennessee is one of the leading manufacturing hubs in the U.S., and the policy support and investment strategies to be discussed at the forum are expected to contribute to the development of the local economy and strengthen the overall global supply chain across the United States.