Ecobat sells Italy business: a new course for the future!

Ecobat sells Italy business: a new course for the future!

Marcianise, Italien - The company Ecobat, a leading player in the area of ​​battery cycling, has announced that it is the sale of its battery and polypropylene recycling business to Haiki + s.p.a. has completed. This transaction concerns the locations of Ecobat in Marcianise, Padero Dugnano and Bologna, and represents the withdrawal of the company from the Italian market. Tom Slabe, President and CEO of Ecobat, explained that this step was part of the strategic efforts to optimize the geographical presence of ecobat. The company will continue to be actively looking for ways to maximize the value for its shareholders.

Haiki + s.p.A., a company listed at the Euronext Growth Milan, works in the areas of the environment and circular economy and aims to become one of the leading actors in the area of ​​the circular economy in Italy. The transaction was accompanied by Pirola Corporate Finance as a financial advisor and by Advant NCTM as the legal consultant of Ecobat.

New commitment in the lithium-ion battery recycling industry

As part of his strategy, Ecobat has also opened several innovative lithium-ion battery cycling systems in recent years. These are located in Hettstedt, Germany; Casa Grande, Arizona; and Darlaston, England. The systems that are to be put into operation between the end of 2023 and November 2024 have a processing capacity of up to 10,000 tons per year and are designed to expand the recycling capacity to up to 25,000 tons annually.

The productions in these systems lead to the generation of black mass, a material that is rich in lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese and graphite. This black mass contributes to the creation of a circulatory-oriented battery economy because it reduces the dependence on new raw material degradation. The Hettstedter system can process various batteries, including batteries of electric vehicles, portable electronic devices, e-bikes and power tools.

growing recycling capacities in Europe

The recycling infrastructure for lithium-ion batteries in Europe shows significant growth forecasts. The current capacities for hubs (recovery) amount to around 350,000 tons annually, while the spokes (pretreatment) already have a capacity of approx. 300,000 tons per year. It is expected that these capacities will increase to a total of 330,000 tons per year by 2026.

This expansion is promoted by several projects, including the initiatives of companies such as Li-Cycle, Eramet and Re.Lion.bat. The announcement of an increase to 900,000 tons per year of hubs by 2030 illustrates the trend towards optimizing recycling capacities in the industry. According to forecasts, the return volume of recycling batteries and production committees will be estimated at around 270,000 tons per year by 2026.