As the battery industry continues to accelerate toward higher performance and lower costs, dry coating is emerging as one of the most promising breakthroughs for next-generation lithium-ion batteries. After years of experimentation and lab-scale development, the technology is now approaching an inflection point. Addionics recently joined a panel of industry leaders for a webinar on Dry Coating’s Breakout Moment: Is High-Volume Production Finally Here? The session brought together experts from McKinsey & Company, Magna International, Matthews International, and Addionics to discuss the current state of dry coating, how it’s evolving, and what companies are prioritizing for 2025.
Their insights reveal an industry that is cautiously optimistic. While significant technical hurdles remain, the strategic focus is shifting from “if” to “when”, and more importantly, “how.” The year ahead will be shaped by collaborative development, smarter equipment design, and a renewed focus on cost and scalability.
From Hype to Execution
Dry coating has long been positioned as a high-potential solution for improving energy density, reducing cost, and simplifying electrode manufacturing. Though the benefits are compelling, the challenges of scaling have held the technology back. This is beginning to change, as experts agree that the industry is now transitioning from conceptual enthusiasm to execution-focused initiatives. After years of running in parallel to conventional slurry-based manufacturing, dry coating is now receiving serious investment and attention from large equipment providers, tier-one suppliers, and OEMs. 2025 will be a pivotal year for determining whether these efforts can translate into stable, repeatable production at scale.
The Importance of Strategic Piloting
One of the strongest themes to emerge from the discussion was the need for smarter piloting strategies. In 2025, companies are expected to move beyond isolated experiments and toward production environments that more closely resemble real-world factory conditions. This shift matters as it is not enough for dry coating to work on a test line; it must be feasible within the constraints of an actual battery manufacturing facility.
Rather than viewing pilot lines as temporary tools for validation, industry leaders are beginning to treat them as long-term strategic assets. The goal is to build a deep, repeatable understanding of dry coating under production-like conditions, not just to prove the science, but to refine the process for mass manufacturing. In many cases, companies are leaning on partners with proven experience in both materials and equipment integration to accelerate that learning curve.
Prioritizing Cost-Effective Scalability
While performance is still a key metric, the conversation is shifting toward cost and manufacturability. Several panelists emphasized that for dry coating to make a real impact, it must reduce total production costs rather than simply improve cell-level energy density. That means reducing the number of process steps, simplifying equipment, and ensuring compatibility with gigafactory-scale production lines. Materials and equipment providers alike are focusing on modularity and process stability, which will help determine whether dry coating can transition from R&D to factory floors. In 2025, the companies that succeed will be the ones that can show not just performance improvement but economic viability at scale.
Equipment Is Catching Up
Another key insight from the panel was that equipment design is finally beginning to align with the unique needs of dry coating. Until recently, most dry coating trials relied on equipment that had been retrofitted or adapted from slurry-based processes. This often resulted in limitations around speed, uniformity, and repeatability. Now, specialized machinery is being developed specifically for dry coating, including systems designed to handle powder feedstocks more consistently, apply pressure with greater precision, and reduce thermal sensitivity throughout the line. These advances are critical because they enable process control at speeds that are compatible with high-throughput production.
In 2025, expect to see closer collaboration between equipment makers and material developers, as both sides work to co-optimize their contributions. This will be especially important in achieving the high-speed, high-quality results that commercial adoption requires.
The Role of Partnerships
One recurring message from the discussion was the importance of partnerships. Dry coating sits at the intersection of chemistry, engineering, and manufacturing, and no single company can address all of the associated challenges in isolation. In 2025, industry leaders are expected to invest more in partnerships that bring complementary expertise to the table. Whether it is a cell manufacturer working with an equipment provider or a materials company collaborating with an OEM, cross-functional collaboration is becoming a core requirement for progress. At the same time, companies are becoming more selective about the partners they engage with. Speed to market matters, but so does deep technical alignment. The strongest partnerships will be those built on shared goals, long-term trust, and a willingness to iterate together.
Pressure to Deliver and Shorten Timelines
As dry coating moves closer to commercialization, pressure is mounting to deliver tangible results. Investors, OEMs, and customers alike are growing less interested in theoretical benefits and more focused on clear timelines for deployment. This growing urgency is shaping how companies set their priorities for 2025. The focus is shifting toward de-risking the technology and removing the final barriers to scale. That includes solving for powder handling at speed, maintaining uniformity in the coating process, and ensuring the finished electrodes meet performance and safety standards. Companies that are able to close these gaps in the next 12 months will be well-positioned to lead the transition from pilot to production.
Learning from Adjacent Industries
Some of the most compelling progress in dry coating may come from borrowing best practices from adjacent industries. During the panel, speakers highlighted the potential for learning from other high-precision manufacturing sectors, including electronics, printing, and materials handling. These industries have already solved many of the problems related to fine powder processing, real-time quality control, and rapid thermal treatment. By leveraging those learnings, battery manufacturers can accelerate their path toward robust dry coating lines. This year, more companies are expected to invest in this kind of cross-industry knowledge transfer, particularly as the competitive landscape pushes for faster, more efficient implementation.
Looking Ahead with Addionics
While dry coating remains a complex and evolving technology, significant work is still needed to move from lab to line. However, the momentum is undeniable and industry experts are no longer asking whether dry coating will scale. They are asking what it will take to do so in time to meet the growing demands of the EV market.
At Addionics, we believe the answer lies in smarter engineering, deeper collaboration, and a clear-eyed focus on both performance and manufacturability. Our Smart 3D Current Collectors can help unlock more efficient and stable dry coating processes. Indeed, by embedding active materials directly into the porous metal framework, Addionics’ technology creates a stronger, more uniform interface, which also improves adhesion at scale. This approach enhances both performance and process stability, and is compatible with any dry-coating manufacturing line.
The foundations are being laid today and the companies that act decisively will be the ones that shape the next generation of battery manufacturing.
Watch the full webinar here.
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