Review of anode material price and capacity in 2022

1. Anode materials price review

In 2022, the low sulfur petroleum coke, the raw material of artificial graphite anode, rose to 9000 yuan/ton all the way, and the downstream power market demand is strong. The large factories of anode materials will continue to be in full production. In the second quarter, the finished products of anode materials were in short supply. Large factories of anode materials continue to realize full production. In the second quarter, the finished anode materials was in short supply, sharing the pressure with battery factories. In the third quarter, the tension between supply and demand of artificial graphite anode material finished products eased. Due to the release of new production capacity, prices remained stable.

Since the fourth quarter, with the release of new production capacity, the raw materials price has declined, and the graphitization processing fee is gradually approaching to a reasonable price. Downstream demand-side battery manufacturers have a strong desire to reduce the price of materials, and negative materials price has entered a substantial loosening stage.

In 2022, the new energy lithium electricity industry continues to develop, and the market demands increasingly higher cost performance of power batteries. Natural graphite with lower development cost and higher performance can fill this gap and meet the application needs of more customers in low-end new energy vehicles and related markets. The price of natural graphite anode is at a high level throughout the year. Prices have risen slightly as demand has increased in downstream electricity markets. Natural graphite anode capacity is concentrated, mainly sold to downstream regular customers, overseas share is relatively high, such as Panasonic, LG, Samsung and so on.

In 2022, mesophase carbon microsphere anode material price maintained a stable operation, mainly due to the weak downstream digital demand throughout the year, and the price remained at a high level. With the upgrading of market demand, mesophase carbon microsphere production process still needs to be further optimized. The industry development still faces the problems of low output and high cost, which is difficult to meet the growing market demand. Therefore the relevant research still needs to be further deepened.

2. Anode materials output and capacity review

According to statistics, in 2022, China's anode materials construction capacity has been increasing month by month. Since March, there has been more than 1 million tons of anode material capacity in China, but the actual output was less than the capacity, only about 100000 tons per month, the capacity utilization rate was only about 9.34%, more than 90% of the capacity has not been actually utilized. In 2022, China's anode materials operating rate increased steadily. At the beginning of the year, the utilization rate was about 63% to 70%. Since the fourth quarter, the utilization rate has increased to more than 90%. As the Spring Festival approaches, anode material manufacturers' orders decrease and the operating rate drops to around 80%.

According to statistics, in 2022, China's anode materials construction capacity and artificial graphite anode construction capacity both show a month-on-month increasing trend, and the proportion of artificial graphite anode construction capacity to the anode materials construction capacity decreased first, then increased, and then decreased again, among which January and August accounted for more than 85%; The proportion in March was the lowest in the whole year, only 82%. The artificial graphite anode constructed capacity accounts for more than 80% of anode constructed capacity, which means that most anode materials are artificial graphite anode materials. Artificial graphite anode market analysis, welcome your further consultation with us.