专委会在倡议书中提到，当前经济持续回升向好仍面临诸多挑战，主要是有效需求仍然不足，企业经营压力较大，重点领域风险隐患较多，国内大循环不够顺畅，理性看待国内大循环下电池行业的现状。因此，倡议企业按照市场需求组织生产活动，从产销两端主动控量、顺势减量，不打价格战、不做份额之争，通过加强供给侧管控，实现“量减利不减”或“量减利增”。① The Battery Film Special Committee of the China Plastics Processing Industry Association advocates that the battery separator industry should not engage in price wars or share disputes; ② Shenzhen Senior Technology Material stated that many small manufacturers are currently selling at a loss, and prices will surely return to a more rational state in the future.
On November 26, the Financial Association reported (Reporter Liu Yue) that the lithium battery separator industry is currently in a stage of accelerated capacity clearance. The Battery Film Special Committee of the China Plastics Processing Industry Association (hereinafter referred to as the "Special Committee") issued a letter to national battery separator manufacturers yesterday, calling for companies to organize production activities according to market demand, actively control volume from both production and sales ends, and trend toward reduction, without engaging in price wars or competing for market share.
A Financial Association reporter, posing as an investor, contacted Yunnan energy new material (002812.SZ) and Shenzhen Senior Technology Material (300568.SZ) separately. Both companies acknowledged their awareness of the initiative, with the latter believing that it will promote healthy development in the separator industry. Currently, many small manufacturers are selling at a loss, and prices will certainly return to a more rational state in the future.
The Special Committee mentioned in the initiative letter that the current economic recovery faces many challenges, mainly due to insufficient effective demand, significant operational pressure on companies, heightened risks in key areas, and the domestic circulation not being smooth enough. A rational view of the current state of the battery industry under the domestic circulation is urged. As such, it calls on companies to organize production activities based on market demand, actively control quantity from both production and sales ends, trend toward reduction, avoid price wars, and refrain from competing for market share. By strengthening supply-side management, the aim is to achieve "reduce quantity but not profit" or "reduce quantity and increase profit."
The Special Committee also called on companies to strengthen inventory management, develop plans for shutdowns, production cuts, or maintenance based on market demand, to reduce resource consumption, decrease ineffective supply and inventory backlog, and improve operational efficiency to achieve profitable development.
A staff member from the securities department of Yunnan energy new material who received a call from a Financial Association reporter posing as an investor stated that the company is aware of this initiative, and currently the separator industry is still undergoing rapid capacity clearance. The company has always upheld fair competition and the joint maintenance of a healthy, good ecological environment in the industry.
Shenzhen Senior Technology Material also noted the initiative. A staff member from the company's securities department, who received a call from a Financial Association reporter posing as an investor, stated that this initiative will definitely promote healthy development in the separator industry. As a leading company in the separator sector, it will certainly not take the lead in provoking a price war. "Since the beginning of this year, separator prices have indeed decreased; many smaller manufacturers are producing while operating at a loss and there is little room for further price decreases. Prices will surely return to a more rational state in the future."
However, some industry insiders told the Financial Association reporter that the initiative only reflects the current situation and cannot change the industrial state. "Loss-making companies still need to operate to cover depreciation, employee salaries, bank loans, etc. If companies like Ningde and BYD bid today, everyone will still have to fight each other."
The lithium battery separator is a thin film between the positive and negative electrodes of a lithium battery. During the electrolysis reaction of the lithium battery, the separator can separate the positive and negative electrodes, preventing short-circuiting while allowing electrolyte ions to pass freely. As one of the four major materials of lithium batteries, the cost of the separator accounts for about 10% of the cost of lithium-ion batteries. In recent years, the price of upstream raw material lithium carbonate has continued to decline, and the pressure from price wars in the downstream automotive industry has led to an internal competition consensus in the power battery sector. After a frenzy of expansion, a new round of industry "elimination matches" is now underway.
In terms of performance, the three major lithium separator giants have faced profit pressure this year, with significant declines in their performance. Financial reports indicate that in the first three quarters of this year, the net income attributable to the parent company of yunnan energy new material, shenzhen senior technology material, and sinoma science & technology (002080.SZ) decreased year-on-year by 79.41%, 47.66%, and 64.36%, respectively. In terms of quarterly performance, the net income attributable to the parent company for Q3 of yunnan energy new material, shenzhen senior technology material, and sinoma science & technology decreased year-on-year by 79.64%, 62.84%, and 54.51%, respectively.
