LONDON: Neometals Ltd, a sustainable process technology developer, announced that Mercedes-Benz has officially inaugurated its lithium-ion battery recycling plant in Kuppenheim, Germany.

The plant uses technology developed by Primobius GmbH, a 50:50 joint venture between Neometals and SMS group GmbH.

Primobius has designed and is installing a 2,500-tonne per annum integrated recycling plant, chosen by Mercedes as a technology partner in March 2022.

The plant marks the first in Europe based on an integrated mechanical-hydrometallurgical process. It aims to produce high-purity, low-carbon battery materials for reuse in the supply chain.

The recycling process involves shredding battery modules and extracting valuable metals like lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese through a multi-stage chemical process.

Chris Reed, Managing Director of Neometals, expressed pride in Primobius’s achievements and emphasized the importance of this milestone for the company’s future endeavors. Dr. Michel Siemon, CEO of Primobius, highlighted the project’s role in supporting Mercedes-Benz’s goals and the collaboration’s success.

The Kuppenheim plant, with an annual capacity of 2,500 tons, will use recovered materials to produce over 50,000 battery modules for new electric Mercedes-Benz models. The plant’s shredder has been operational since spring 2024, with final commissioning of the hydrometallurgical processes underway.

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