SES AI's Chungju plant earns ISO 9001:2015 certification for NDAA-compliant drone battery cells

SES AI’s Chungju Battery Facility Achieves ISO 9001:2015 Certification for Production of NDAA-Compliant Drone Cells

Certification strengthens SES AI’s quality and manufacturing infrastructure as the Company scales production and remains on track to reach approximately one million cells of annual production capacity

WOBURN, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–SES AI Corporation (“SES AI”) (NYSE: SES), a global leader in the development and manufacturing of AI-enhanced high-performance Li-Metal and Li-ion batteries, today announced that its battery manufacturing facility in Chungju, South Korea has achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification for its quality management system. The certification was issued by the Korea ESG Certification Body following an independent assessment of the facility’s quality management processes. SES AI also announced that recent changes by the South Korean government to export control standards on energy density for secondary batteries provide significant competitive advantages for the export of SES AI NDAA-compliant pouch cells.

Qichao Hu, Founder and CEO of SES AI, said:

Achieving ISO 9001:2015 certification is an important milestone as we scale our drone battery business,

“Drone customers need not only high energy and power density, but also manufacturing quality, traceability, consistency and a dependable supply chain. Our Chungju facility brings these capabilities together and strengthens our ability to supply NDAA-compliant pouch cells manufactured in Korea to customers in the United States and other markets.”

SES AI has been expanding its Chungju manufacturing operation in response to growing demand for high-performance batteries for drones and other advanced mobility applications. The Company has recently completed the scale up to an annual production capacity of approximately one million Li-Metal and Li-ion pouch cells, representing a significant expansion of SES AI’s manufacturing capability for drone and other high-performance battery applications. The Chungju facility manufactures high-energy and high-power density Li-Metal and Li-ion pouch cells for drone applications, including NDAA-compliant cells designed to serve customers requiring secure and dependable battery supply chains.

Earlier this month, the South Korean government raised export control energy density threshold for secondary batteries to 500Wh/kg, while the majority of other countries continue to use the old 350Wh/kg threshold, making trading logistics and compliance even more favorable for Korea-produced cells. Additional comments from SES AI on this recent announcement and its array of high-energy and high-power density pouch cells can be found on its LinkedIn page.

Hu added,

Battery manufacturing for drones is rapidly moving from small-volume specialty production toward a scaled industrial supply chain,

“With ISO 9001 certification, NDAA-compliant sourcing, easier export compliance, manufacturing in Korea and our expansion toward approximately one million cells of annual production capacity, we are building the foundation to serve growing demand from the global drone industry.”

SES AI’s drone cells combine high energy density and high-power density with the Company’s battery material, cell engineering and manufacturing capabilities. The Company is developing both Li-Metal and advanced Li-ion pouch cells for demanding drone missions where flight time, payload, power and battery weight are critical performance requirements.

The scope of the ISO 9001:2015 certification SES AI received is “manufacture of storage batteries, and research and development of batteries and battery materials.” The certification further strengthens the manufacturing infrastructure supporting this expansion and establishes a standardized quality management framework across processes including incoming material control, cell manufacturing, inspection, testing, traceability, corrective actions and continuous improvement.

ISO 9001:2015 is an internationally recognized quality management standard focused on consistent processes, product quality, customer requirements, risk management and continuous improvement. The certification followed an independent audit by the Korea ESG Certification Body covering the manufacture of storage batteries and the research and development of batteries and battery materials.

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SES AI’s Chungju Battery Facility Achieves ISO 9001:2015 Certification for Production of NDAA-Compliant Drone Cells, source