SHANGHAI, Mar 18 (SMM) – SMM expects China's output of ternary materials to increase to 13,500 mt in March after fewer working days in February lowered production to 13,100 mt. Output in February shrank 5% on the month but gained 15% on the year, SMM data showed. Output cuts of some regular specifications also accounted for the month-on-month decline.

While suppliers reported robust orders across domestic major battery producers and top battery makers in Japan and South Korea, ternary materials mills in Hunan province received poor downstream orders, which lowered output. 

NCM523 and NCM622 continued to account for the greatest share, of 87%, in February’s output of ternary materials, while NCM811 and NCA accounted for 10%, unchanged from January.

Demand for NCM811 at a major downstream mill is likely to increase in the second half of the year, and a ternary materials producer in the south said that they will receive more orders for NCA during the same period, SMM learned.