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LG Group chair visits key energy facilities in U.S., Brazil in effort to accelerate business expansion

Published: 02 Apr. 2026, 17:32 Updated: 02 Apr. 2026, 18:22

LEE JAE-LIM
[email protected]

LG Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, left, inspects pouch-type battery cells used in energy storage system (ESS) battery packs at Vertech, LG Energy Solution's North American ESS system integration subsidiary, on March 30. [LG]

LG Group said on Thursday that Chairman Koo Kwang-mo recently visited key energy facilities in the United States and Brazil as part of efforts to accelerate business expansion, positioning the sites as critical infrastructure in the AI era.

Koo began his trip at Vertech, LG Energy Solution’s energy storage system (ESS) subsidiary in Westborough, Massachusetts, where he emphasized the importance of advancing the group’s battery business through the integration of hardware and software, for which the rapid growth of AI data centers and advancements in physical AI technologies are driving demand.

Highlighting the evolving role of ESS, Koo said such systems are no longer limited to energy storage but are becoming essential infrastructure for managing power loads and ensuring a stable energy supply.

“We must establish a resilient business foundation that is not shaken by external uncertainties,” he said. “Byeong supplying ESS battery hardware, we must strengthen our capabilities in high-value integrated solutions to secure a dominant market position.”

According to LG, the global ESS market is projected to expand from 300 gigawatt-hours in 2025 to 750 gigawatt-hours by 2030, more than doubling in size. LG Energy Solution has adopted lithium iron phosphate batteries, which are becoming the industry standard, and will convert five North American production sites into ESS manufacturing sites to meet rising demand. The company said that it is currently the only manufacturer producing and supplying ESS batteries within North America.

LG Energy Solution is also deepening its collaboration with Vertech — which provides core ESS services, including design, installation, maintenance and software-based operations — to enable customers to access end-to-end solutions, from battery supply to after-sales support.

Koo then traveled to Brazil, where he visited LG Electronics’ production facility in Manaus and local retail outlets to review strategies for the Latin American market.

LG Electronics is currently building a new refrigerator manufacturing plant in Parana, southern Brazil. The company invested more than $200 million in the factory, which will commence operations in July. The facility is expected to serve as a strategic base to strengthen the company’s regional presence by mitigating import restrictions and tariff barriers.

Brazil, the world’s seventh most populous country with approximately 210 million people, accounts for around 40 percent of Latin America’s GDP. Following visits to India in February and Indonesia in June last year, Koo’s trip to Brazil signals an acceleration of LG’s “Global South” strategy, aimed at expanding its presence in high-growth emerging markets across Southeast Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa.

LG views the strategy as a key growth engine and seeks to diversify beyond slower-growing developed markets.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [[email protected]]