New EV Battery Player Targets Europe

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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--Europe looks set to get a new EV battery player in the form of Anglo-Korean company Eurocell EMEA, which has revealed plans to build its first plant in one of three locations.

The company, which claims it can get a gigafactory up and running in less than 12 months, is actively evaluating sites in the U.K., Netherlands and Spain. The company, which is a newcomer to the market, comprises FIC Advanced Materials UK Ltd. and three Korean battery technology companies: Eurocell, FIC Advanced Materials, and Indong Advanced Materials.

Recardo Bruins, chief executive officer, Eurocell EMEA, said: "Eurocell in the U.K. is a new company, led by a highly experienced U.K. team and backed by our South Korean partner with decades of experience in electrochemistry, making batteries at mass-scale and building the gigafactories to produce them. Now we are planning to rapidly expand in Europe, supplying the energy storage and automotive industries with our market-leading technologies that last longer, perform better and are 100%. These products can be on the market in months, not years."

He added: "To fulfill our mission, we are actively seeking a European manufacturing base and are in advanced discussions with sites in the U.K., Netherlands and Spain. With the right level of central engagement and support we are keen to take advantage of the rapidly growing European market as quickly as possible."

The company, which is looking to invest £600 million (US$813 million) in two stages, claimed that its "proven battery products" last more than 10 times longer than conventional lithium-ion cells, with a wide range of operating temperatures. The goal is to have the first plant up and running by 2023, supplying products to companies in the European energy storage, automotive, and e-mobility sectors. A bespoke facility will be constructed on the same site, capable of producing more than 40 million cells per year by 2025.

In related news, the company behind the U.K.'s first planned EV battery gigafactory, Britishvolt, has received an additional £40 million (US$54 million) funding from British-Swiss mining and commodities heavyweight, Glencore. Glencore took an undeclared stake in the company last year. Britishvolt is currently building the plant on a 235-acre (95-hectare) site at the former Blyth coal-fired plant site in Northumberland. Last month, Industrial Info reported that the U.K. government had agreed to help finance the project with an injection of £100 million (US$120 million). For additional information, see January 31, 2022, article--First EV Battery 'Gigafactory' for U.K. Gets Funding Boost.

Earlier this month Britishvolt announced a joint venture with strategic partner Glencore to develop a battery recycling plant located at the Britannia Refined Metals (BRM) operation in Northfleet, owned by Glencore. The plant will be its first battery recycling facility in the U.K. with an expected processing capacity of a minimum of 10,000 tonnes of lithium-ion batteries per year. It will process battery manufacturing scrap, portable electronics batteries and full EV packs. Commissioning is expected in 2023.

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