The company currently produces an annual 3,000 tons of anode materials at a facility in Kagawa Prefecture; output is already scheduled to increase to 5,000 tons in December. Mitsubishi will boost that by an additional 2,000 tons next May.

The company said it is responding to growing demand for lithium ion batteries for electric and hybrid vehicles.

Mitsubishi Chemical controls 20% of the global market for anode materials and intends to boost that share to 35% by 2015.

In addition to anode materials, Mitsubishi also produces cathode materials, separators and electrolytes.