Page 170 - CW E-Magazine (10-10-2023)

News from Abroad

HUB AND SPOKE MODEL

Li-Cycle celebrates opening of lithium-ion battery

recycling facility in Germany

US-based lithium-ion battery
resource recovery company, Li-Cycle
Holdings Corp., recently celebrated the
opening of its first ‘spoke’ recycling
facility in Europe, located in Sülzetal
near Magdeburg in Saxony-Anhalt,
Germany. The official opening cere-
mony, held after the start of operations
in August 2023, hosted local dignitaries,
employees, community stakeholders
and other partners.

The Germany spoke utilises Li-
Cycle’s patented ‘Generation 3’ spoke
technology to directly process all forms
of lithium-ion battery waste, includ- mediate product called “black mass,” to develop a second hub in Europe.
ing full electric vehicle battery packs, which includes a variety of valuable Li-Cycle, in partnership with Glencore,
without the need for discharging, dis- battery materials such as lithium, nickel plans to repurpose part of the existing
mantling or thermal processing. One and cobalt. Glencore metallurgical complex in
main line is now fully operational, and Portovesme, Italy to create a new hub
a second parallel line is expected to Plans for hubs facility (the Portovesme hub). Phase 1
start operations in late 2023. Each main Li-Cycle plans to process the black of the Portovesme hub is expected to
line has the capacity to process up to mass it produces from its spoke network start processing black mass in the first
10,000-tonnes of lithium-ion battery at its hub facilities. The company’s first half of 2024, enabling the production
material per year. With an additional hub facility, in Rochester, New York of lithium carbonate, as well as nickel
10,000-tonnes of ancillary capacity also State, is on track to commence commis- and cobalt. The full-scale phase 2 of the
planned, the facility is expected to have sioning in late 2023 and will process up Portovesme hub is expected to be one
a total processing capacity of 30,000- to 35,000-tonnes of black mass per year. of the largest sources of sustainable re-
tonnes per year, making the Germany Li-Cycle has also announced plans cycled battery materials in Europe.
spoke one of the largest in Li-Cycle’s
current portfolio and one of the largest IMCD acquires Korean distribution
facilities of its kind in Europe.
company
The company said Sülzetal is an
ideal location for the spoke facility Dutch distribution major, IMCD, nue of approximately KRW 26.2-bn
given the proximity to key battery has agreed to acquire 100% of the (about Euro 18-mn) in 2022 and has
manufacturing facilities and Li-Cycle shares of the speciality distribution 18 employees. “As we look ahead, the
customers. Germany also represents company Needfill Co. Ltd. in South coatings market in South Korea has
the largest market for both battery Korea. an exciting growth potential. Having
manufacturing scrap and end-of-life Needfill join us provides a strong
lithium-ion batteries in Europe. Established in 1991, Needfill has addition to our coatings and construction
partnerships with leading global sup- business, enhancing both our range of
Li-Cycle has additional European pliers and serves the paint, coatings, services and portfolio,” said Mr. Henri
spokes planned in France and Norway. inks, textiles, electronics, and polymer Kwon, Managing Director of IMCD
Li-Cycle’s spokes produce an inter- markets. Needfill generated a reve- Korea.

170 Chemical Weekly October 10, 2023

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