South Korean battery copper foil manufacturers are restarting production lines after the electric vehicle market downturn, helped by rising North American demand for non-Chinese copper foil used in energy storage systems (ESS) and signs of recovery in Europe. SKC subsidiary SK Nexilis posted record quarterly revenue of ₩254 billion ($184.4 million) in the second quarter of this year. Lotte Energy Materials reported ₩194.2 billion ($141.0 million), up 21% from the previous quarter, while Solus Advanced Materials' battery foil division generated ₩75 billion ($54.4 million), up 22%. The companies have benefited from U.S. rules restricting Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit (AMPC) eligibility when more than 40% of battery costs come from Foreign Entities of Concern (FEOC), including China. Their factory utilization rates also increased, although industry officials expect profitability to improve only next year because of expansion-related fixed costs and lower margins for ESS-grade foil. European EV sales rose 31% year over year to 2.45 million units in the first half of this year, while battery installations increased 29% to 131 GWh.