HiTHIUM's AI-Powered 'Thinking Factory' Redefines Global Battery Manufacturing

CHONGQING, China – January 16, 2026 – In a landmark decision for the global energy sector, the World Economic Forum (WEF) has designated HiTHIUM's manufacturing base in Chongqing as the world's first 'Lighthouse Factory' for energy storage batteries. This prestigious recognition elevates the facility beyond a mere production plant, positioning it as a global benchmark for the future of industrial manufacturing and a critical enabler of the green energy transition.

The selection places the Chinese battery specialist in an elite group of facilities recognized for their leadership in adopting and scaling Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies. For an industry grappling with soaring demand, intense cost pressures, and non-negotiable quality standards, HiTHIUM's achievement signals a pivotal shift from traditional automation to a new paradigm of intelligent, data-driven production.

A New Standard for Manufacturing Excellence

The Global Lighthouse Network, a collaboration between the WEF and McKinsey & Company, identifies and celebrates manufacturing sites that demonstrate exceptional performance in productivity, sustainability, and supply chain resilience. To earn this status, a facility must prove it has achieved significant, scalable impact by integrating advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, 3D-printing, and big data analytics into its core operations. HiTHIUM is the first and only company from the energy storage battery sector to join the ranks of 224 Lighthouse Factories worldwide.

"Competitiveness today is no longer defined by efficiency alone, but by the ability to sense, adapt and respond at speed," stated Kiva Allgood, Managing Director at the World Economic Forum, in the official announcement. "This year's industrial transformation sites show how intelligence-led operations are being scaled to place resilience and sustainability at the core of how industry operates."

The designation is more than an award; it's an acknowledgment that the Chongqing base has successfully overcome profound industry challenges. The energy storage market is projected to grow exponentially, yet manufacturers face a difficult balancing act: rapidly scaling production while simultaneously driving down costs and ensuring near-perfect product consistency—a critical factor for the safety and longevity of grid-scale battery systems.

Inside the 'Thinking' Factory

At the heart of HiTHIUM's success is a facility that doesn't just execute commands—it 'thinks.' The Chongqing base has deployed more than 40 integrated digital solutions, weaving generative artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) into the fabric of its production process. This creates a closed-loop, data-driven system that provides intelligent control over the entire product lifecycle, from initial R&D and raw material inspection to the final battery cell formation.

The results of this digital transformation are dramatic. The factory has boosted its premium product ratio to an impressive 97.6% while slashing conversion costs by 37%. Throughput has soared by over 200%, and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)—a key measure of manufacturing productivity—has risen by 13.4 percentage points. These metrics demonstrate a step-change in efficiency that traditional manufacturing models struggle to achieve.

This 'near-zero-defect' approach is not merely about optimizing financials; it is fundamental to the safety and reliability of energy storage. In battery manufacturing, even microscopic impurities or process variations can compromise performance and create safety hazards. HiTHIUM's intelligent system monitors thousands of real-time process control points, ensuring a level of consistency that lays the foundation for high-performance, long-lasting, and safe batteries.

Powering the Future with Long-Duration Storage

The Lighthouse recognition also highlights the factory's pioneering role in industrializing long-duration energy storage (LDES). As the world increasingly relies on intermittent renewable sources like wind and solar, LDES systems—capable of discharging electricity for 10 hours or more—are becoming essential for maintaining grid stability. They store excess energy when the sun is shining or the wind is blowing and dispatch it during periods of high demand or low generation, ensuring a reliable 24/7 power supply.

HiTHIUM's Chongqing facility is the world's first to mass-produce kAh-level LDES batteries. In a series of rapid milestones, the company began mass production of its groundbreaking ∞Cell 1175Ah LDES battery in June 2025. By October, global deliveries had commenced for the ∞Power 6.25MWh energy storage system, a modular solution powered by these advanced cells. This ability to rapidly scale and commercialize LDES technology is a critical step in turning global climate goals into reality.

The system's importance was further underscored in December 2025, when it was featured as the sole energy storage representative at a national exhibition in China highlighting the country's most significant manufacturing advancements.

China's Growing Influence on Green Supply Chains

HiTHIUM's achievement is not just a corporate victory but also a significant marker of China's growing prowess in advanced green technology manufacturing. The designation solidifies the nation's position as a central player in the global clean energy supply chain, moving beyond high-volume production to set new standards in high-tech, intelligent manufacturing.

This development has broad geopolitical and economic implications. As nations race to secure their energy futures and decarbonize their economies, the control and innovation of critical technologies like battery storage become strategically vital. While HiTHIUM's leadership can help drive down global costs and accelerate technology adoption, it also intensifies the focus on supply chain resilience and the risks of over-reliance on a single geographic region for critical components.

Looking forward, HiTHIUM plans to leverage its Lighthouse status to foster a more collaborative and efficient industrial ecosystem. The company aims to drive digital transformation across its upstream and downstream partners, exporting its scalable intelligent manufacturing practices to elevate the entire value chain. By doing so, HiTHIUM intends to support the large-scale, high-quality, and safe deployment of energy storage systems worldwide, contributing a powerful solution to the global quest for a sustainable energy future.