Cylib Launches Europe's Largest Battery Recycling Facility

The construction of the first European industrial plant of the sustainable battery recycling company, cylib, has now begun in Chempark Dormagen in North Rhine-Westphalia. The important milestone comes one year after the launch of the pilot line in Aachen, meaning that the company will now move into large-scale industrial operations for battery recycling. This plant will further play a central role in European battery recycling and provide important stimulus toward the circular economy. New Plant to Recycle 30,000 Tonnes of Batteries Annually The new plant will be capable of recycling up to 30,000 tonnes of end-of-life lithium-ion batteries every year once it is commissioned in 2026. Creating a closed-loop for battery materials is the main aim of cylib, reducing Europe's dependency on imported raw materials with a constant, inhouse supply of raw materials such as lithium, graphite, nickel, cobalt, manganese, aluminium and copper. The plant is expected to generate approximately 170 jobs in the community and contribute not only to the battery infrastructure but also the regional economy of Europe. A site area of approximately 22,000 square meters or 236,000 square feet would locate cylib's new facility in Currenta's Chempark-a major industrial park with a prime focus on chemistry. Key Role in Europe's Circular Economy Europe is committed to the development of its circular economy, aiming for minimal environmental impact in specific industries, such as electric vehicles and battery production. The Critical Raw Materials Act is an initiative by the EU to establish a secure and sustainable supply of raw materials fundamental to the European economy. Among the total number of 34 critical materials listed by CRMA, 17 have been considered strategically important because of supply risks and import dependence. This new site for cylib will play a significant role in helping Europe reach these targets through the provision of vital local supplies of materials, further solidifying the EU's plans for a more raw material-resilient region. Additionally, further legislation by the EU will state that battery manufacturers must include minimum percentages of recycled materials in new batteries, positioning cylib at the very front when it comes to ensuring compliance through the supply of their sustainable solutions to clients in numerous industries. North Rhine-Westphalia: A Strategic Location The location of the plant in NRW is strategically very important. NRW, which earlier was known as a coal mining region, has started to reposition itself as a green technology center. The Dormagen site at Chempark has already developed industrial infrastructure supported by all means of transport-road, rail, air, and waterways. This site lies between Düsseldorf and Cologne, offering cylib a directly connected route into European supply chains, thus ensuring effective distribution of the materials recovered. Being part of a chemical cluster, cylib benefits from the established supply chains, infrastructure, and services that Currenta, a key industrial actor in the region, provides. Currenta aspires to be a leading sustainable chemical park in Europe; hence, working with cylib is a logical step for Currenta in this direction. Innovative Battery Recycling Methods cylib is developing novel technologies for battery recycling to reclaim all the essential materials contained in lithium-ion batteries. The resource-efficient and greener recycling process adopted by cylib is claimed to have 30% less environmental impact compared with traditional techniques. The plant will serve the automotive, battery manufacturing, and chemicals industries, hence closing the loop in the circular battery value chain. Cylib aims to extract valuable materials including water-based lithium and graphite, besides production scrap and black mass through innovative methods of recovery. Supporting Europe's Green Transition The establishment of cylib's plant in Germany underlines how traditional, linear industrial processes are progressively being complemented or even substituted by circular systems. Given the growing demand for electric vehicles and renewable energy, recycling is becoming crucial for both raw material supply and environmental concerns. This transformation of the North Rhine-Westphalia region into a green energy center thus belongs to the greater European trend of moving away from reliance on fossil fuels toward more sustainable industrial practices. The project thereby positions itself as an integral building block in this transition process, enabling the formation of a sustainable European industrial landscape with resistant economies. Conclusion The new industrial-scale battery recycling plant of cylib, located in North Rhine-Westphalia, is a huge step forward in both Europe's efforts toward a circular economy and strengthening its supply chain for critical battery materials. cylib will contribute to the sustainable, resource-efficient green transition of Europe, playing a vital role in meeting the EU's raw material goals. Once the plant becomes fully operational, it will recycle 30,000 tonnes of end-of-life batteries every year, reducing Europe's dependence on the importation of critical materials and supporting the circular economy for the battery industry. This project is fundamental to the greater strategy of Europe to build a resilient, circular economy that will support future industrial growth. Source: cylib