Samsung SDI CEO urges tech focus as market downturn deepens

Samsung SDI CEO Choi Joo-sun urged employees to focus on technology and speed as the company faces a global market downturn.

Choi outlined a “3S” strategy in his New Year’s message, calling for the company to select key priorities, respond faster to market demands, and ensure survival through competitiveness.

He told staff that the company must move forward and strengthen its technological edge to navigate current challenges.

Choi described his approach as “pessimistic optimism,” encouraging the team to prepare for risks while aiming for positive results.

Choi has repeatedly emphasized technology and communication as central to the company’s strategy.

🔗 Source: The Korea Herald

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

Samsung SDI (SDI), a South Korea-based battery maker, runs a solid-state pilot at its Suwon Research Centre and targets 2027 mass production at 900 watt-hours per liter (Wh/L) volumetric energy density, saying energy density is 40% higher than current prismatic (rectangular-format) cells without saying if the gain is per liter or per kilogram 1.
CEO Choi Joo-sun is pushing because the industry slump drags on while rivals chase solid-state launches, so 2027 will test whether SDI can move faster 1.
SDI plans fast-charging batteries for series production (mass production) in 2026 that go from 8% to 80% in 9 minutes, plus ultra-long-life cells with a 20-year lifespan in 2029 1.
Scaling to mass production needs a finished supply chain and on-time project launches, so the next 24 months will show if SDI can scale manufacturing 1.
A three-year deal will have SDI supply lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells starting in 2027 for U.S. energy storage systems (grid-level battery installations) 2.
SDI runs a Supplier Portal System and works with the Samsung SDI Partners Association (SSP), giving vendors of electrolyte materials (ion-conducting media), electrode design tools or manufacturing equipment entry points 3. Partners get technical training, funding support and overseas market help that can enable co-development as SDI builds 2027 solid-state lines 3.
Turnkey solutions that speed up manufacturing setup can stand out for solid electrolyte (solid ion-conducting material) and anode-less technologies (cells that form the anode in situ on a current collector) 1. These offers trim time-to-market risk.