Microporous Plant to Power US Battery Supply Chain Independence

DANVILLE, VA – April 30, 2026 – Microporous, a leading manufacturer of advanced battery components, announced today it has secured the final round of funding for its new manufacturing facility in Danville, Virginia, paving the way for construction to begin in May. The financing, led by Elda River Capital Management and Eagle Point Credit Management, alongside existing owner Trent Capital Partners, marks a critical milestone in a project poised to significantly bolster the U.S. domestic supply chain for lithium-ion batteries.

The state-of-the-art facility will specialize in producing battery separators, a crucial component that prevents short circuits within lithium-ion cells. At full capacity, the plant is expected to support the production of approximately 65 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of batteries annually, a substantial volume that will serve the burgeoning electric vehicle (EV), grid storage, and industrial markets.

"This is a pivotal milestone for Microporous as we move from planning into execution," said John Reeves, CEO of Microporous. "With the support of Trent, Eagle Point and Elda River, we are accelerating our expansion and strengthening our ability to deliver high-performance separator solutions for the lithium-ion battery market."

A Strategic Boost for National Energy Security

The Danville facility represents more than just a corporate expansion; it is a key piece in a broader national strategy to re-shore critical manufacturing and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains, particularly from Asia, which currently dominates the battery component market. The global market for lithium-ion battery separators is projected to more than double in the next decade, with some forecasts predicting growth from roughly $11.4 billion in 2026 to over $23 billion by 2031.

This investment aligns directly with federal initiatives like the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provide substantial tax credits and grants to incentivize domestic production of clean energy technologies. By manufacturing essential components like separators in the U.S., companies like Microporous help automakers and battery producers meet the stringent domestic content requirements needed to qualify for consumer EV tax credits and other benefits. The goal is to build a resilient, end-to-end American battery ecosystem, from mineral processing to final pack assembly.

"Eagle Point is thrilled to partner with Microporous to support this significant expansion of the company's battery separator manufacturing capabilities," stated Jennifer Powers, Principal and Head of Infrastructure Credit at Eagle Point. "Our partnership with Microporous places Eagle Point at the forefront of financing critical supply chain resilience in the energy ecosystem."

Fueling the Green Energy Transition

The separators produced in Danville will be a fundamental building block for the clean energy economy. As the world transitions away from fossil fuels, the demand for high-performance lithium-ion batteries is soaring. The EV market alone saw a 35% increase in global sales in 2023, and that trajectory is only expected to steepen. Simultaneously, the deployment of renewable energy sources like wind and solar power requires massive grid-scale energy storage systems to ensure a stable and reliable power supply, a market also heavily reliant on lithium-ion technology.

Microporous is positioning itself to supply this exploding demand with advanced wet-process and coated separators, which offer enhanced safety and performance characteristics crucial for modern, high-energy-density batteries. This expansion significantly augments the company's existing production capacity at its facilities in Piney Flats, Tennessee, and Feistritz, Austria, solidifying its role as a key supplier in North America and globally.

Ray Desrocher, Managing Partner of Trent Capital Partners, added: "We are thrilled to support the next phase of Microporous' growth and for its continued expansion of lithium-ion separator production here in the U.S... [This] will position Microporous to serve this exploding market for years to come."

Danville's Economic Transformation

For Danville and the surrounding Southern Virginia region, the Microporous project is a landmark economic event. The total investment is valued at approximately $1.6 billion, making it the largest economic development initiative in the area's history. The plant, located at the Southern Virginia Megasite at Berry Hill, is expected to create a minimum of 1,700 highly skilled, well-paying jobs with an average annual salary of around $61,000.

This influx of investment and employment is anticipated to have a transformative effect, generating a ripple of growth across the local economy, from housing and retail to supporting industries. Microporous has also committed to a robust community benefits plan, pledging $500,000 annually to a community-led advocacy group to address local needs such as childcare, workforce development, and transportation.

The project underscores a broader trend of revitalizing American industrial communities through advanced manufacturing. "Establishing a state-of-the-art facility in Danville represents a significant advancement in re-shoring critical battery component production and contributing to the revitalization of U.S. industrial capabilities," said Craig Rohr, Partner and Co-Founder at Elda River. "We are proud to back a business that is driving innovation, job creation and energy security in the United States."

With comprehensive financing now secured, the company will move immediately into the construction phase. The project's progression from an ambitious plan to a tangible reality signals a powerful charge forward for Microporous, the Danville community, and the American energy sector.