Philenergy, a manufacturer of secondary battery equipment, unveiled laser notching technology at the '2025 Interbattery event,' which concluded on the 7th. To manufacture batteries, it is necessary to flatten the electrodes and cut them to fit the battery size, and this process of cutting the anode and cathode to match the shape of each battery is called notching. Since it is important to cut evenly, laser notching has emerged as a key technology in the battery market.
Philenergy's new technology involves laser notching for the coated electrode parts. There are two methods for notching electrodes: pressing (cutting with a knife) and laser. The pressing method, which uses a sharp blade to cut the electrodes, does not produce a clean cross-section and incurs high maintenance and expense.
In contrast, the laser method not only produces a clean cross-section but also allows companies to avoid the need to create new machines every time by simply changing the software, which is preferred by manufacturers. However, the laser method could not be used on the coated electrode parts due to unstable chemical reactions, but the company explains that this new technology will allow the use of the laser method on coated electrodes going forward, thus enhancing quality while reducing expenses.
Yu Tae-joon, head of the overseas sales team at Philenergy, noted, "Testing of the laser notching technology has been completed," and said, "We plan to produce samples in the second half of the year to provide to potential clients." According to Philenergy, interest has been shown not only by leading domestic battery cell companies such as Samsung SDI, LG Energy Solution, and SK On, but also by European automotive companies that are working on in-house cell production.
Philenergy also showcased a large-capacity cylindrical battery winder at the 2025 Interbattery event, which has recently garnered market attention. The cylindrical battery, commonly referred to as the '46-pipe (46mm battery),' is gaining attention as the next-generation battery, with Tesla actively researching and developing it. It is known that the capacity and output of this battery are at least five times higher than those of existing 18mm and 21mm batteries, with the three leading domestic battery companies (LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, SK On) also engaged in development competition.
Philenergy plans to join the supply of parts for mass production of cylindrical batteries through winder equipment that rolls the anode, cathode, and separator into the shape of a battery. Yu stated, "Philenergy is one of only two companies in Korea that has large-capacity battery winder technology," and added, "As mass production of next-generation large-capacity cylindrical batteries becomes active, we expect to benefit as a related equipment company." Philenergy has already received orders for this product from European battery manufacturers last year.
Meanwhile, Philenergy emphasized the need for government support in relation to the chasm (temporary demand slump). A representative stated, "It is crucial for the government to provide active support so that Korean companies can develop differentiated technologies," and emphasized that in order to solve market sluggishness, including the chasm, competitive pricing that can contend with the Chinese market is necessary.
Philenergy recorded a consolidated revenue of 285.4 billion won last year. This figure represents a 45.1% increase compared to the same period last year and is the highest performance since its establishment in 2020. The net profit for the current period was 13.3 billion won, marking a return to profitability. It is interpreted that the revenue growth is due to the recognition of sales from order contracts made over the past two years in 2024 and the continued collaboration with its main client, Samsung SDI.