Henkel, CALB open battery innovation center to advance lower-carbon tech

30 / 09 / 2026

By Marwa Nassar - -

Henkel and CALB have opened a joint Battery Innovation Center in Changzhou, China, under a three-year cooperation framework aimed at accelerating the development of safer, higher-performing and lower-carbon battery technologies for the new energy vehicle industry.

The approximately 400-square-meter center, located at CALB’s pilot-scale production facility in Jintan District, combines Henkel’s advanced materials and application expertise with CALB’s battery development and pilot production capabilities. The companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding alongside the center’s launch on Sept. 29, 2026.

Developing more sustainable battery technologies:

The center will bring together more than 30 specialists to develop and characterize advanced materials, optimize application processes, simulate performance and validate solutions under battery manufacturing and end-use conditions.

The collaboration will initially focus on adhesive technologies and application solutions for new energy vehicle batteries, with the aim of supporting high-performance, high-safety, low-carbon and sustainable battery technologies.

The first joint material development project has already achieved core development cycles of approximately three months, highlighting the potential to shorten the path from material development to industrial application.

From testing to industrial application:

By linking digital modeling and simulation with physical testing and pilot-scale production, the center will allow the companies to identify promising materials earlier, reduce development iterations and accelerate their qualification for industrial use.

The companies said the integrated approach could also support faster localization and more efficient qualification for China’s new energy battery industry, while creating opportunities to apply validated solutions to customer projects across Asia-Pacific.

Supporting the energy transition:

The partnership combines Henkel’s materials and application expertise with CALB’s battery development and manufacturing capabilities to advance technologies supporting the transition to electric mobility.

“Henkel’s advanced battery application technologies, digital engineering and simulation expertise complement our strengths in battery development and manufacturing,” said Liu Jingyu, Chairwoman of CALB.

Arthur Fong, Vice President Automotive Components Asia-Pacific at Henkel, said the cooperation would help the company respond to changing customer needs in China’s rapidly advancing electric mobility market while supporting battery manufacturers across Asia-Pacific.