LG moves workers to Ochang plant amidst preparations for 4680 production: report

A recent report from South Korea has suggested that LG Energy Solution is reassigning workers to its Ochang Factory amidst preparations for the production of 4680 cells at the facility. 

As noted in a report from Asiae.co.kr, LG Energy Solution posted a notice on the 16th informing workers that it was accepting applications for the transfer of 102 workers to the Ochang Factory. This was not the first time that LG moved some of its workers to the Ochang plant. In the latter half of 2023, 288 personnel were also transferred to the facility. 

Workers who would be transferred to the Ochang plant will be working at the 4680 cylindrical battery and pilot production test line, the publication noted. 

Plans are reportedly underway to start mass production of the 4680 battery cells at the Ochang plant at the end of the third quarter or sometime in the fourth quarter. Expectations are also high that Tesla is the customer that would be receiving the 4680 cells from Ochang Factory.

LG Energy Solution’s decision to move some workers to the Ochang plant was reportedly discussed by the company’s labor and management team, which held an employment stabilization committee meeting earlier this month. During the meeting, strategies for the reallocation of workers across the company were reportedly discussed. 

As per an industry insider, “We have been conducting reassignments frequently due to the discontinuation of certain electric vehicle models or expansion of production lines, but since the second half of last year, the surplus workers have increased due to the electric vehicle chasm (temporary slowdown in demand), and I understand that the period of waiting without work has also gotten longer.” 

LG Energy Solution Battery Planning and Management Director Noh In-hak shared a comment about the company’s plans for 4680 mass production at the company’s Q2 2024 conference call. 

“The new 4680 battery line at the Ochang plant has been prepared. We tried to bring forward the mass production schedule as much as possible, but due to internal maintenance and schedule consultations with customers, we plan to start mass production at the end of the third quarter or beginning of the fourth quarter as originally planned,” the executive stated. 

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