BASF establishes CAM production facility, battery recycling center in Germany

BASF, a global supplier of advanced cathode active materials (CAM), has recently opened what it calls as Europe's first co-located center of battery material production and battery recycling facility in Schwarzheide, Germany.

The production facility for high-performance cathode active materials, together with a battery recycling plant for the production of black mass, represent important steps toward closing the loop for the European battery value chain, the company claims.

"Despite all challenges we are currently facing in Europe, today is a reason for all of us to be optimistic. The state-of the art cathode active materials plant and the recycling plant for black mass production underline that we at BASF believe in the future of the chemical industry in Europe and in Germany and invest in innovative products and services for our customers in our home market," said Dr. Martin Brudermüller, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE.

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"With our two investments we significantly contribute to the reduction of the CO2 footprint of batteries and close the loop for sustainable mobility", he added. This will aid the collection of used batteries and the recovery of mineral raw materials to their use in the production of new battery materials in the European region.

BASF boasts that the new plant is not only the first-of-its-kind in Germany, but also the first fully automated large-scale cathode active materials production facility in Europe. It will supply products tailored to the specific needs of cell manufacturers and automotive OEMs in Europe.

The company's proprietary efficient production technologies, which include minimized energy consumption and a high proportion of renewable energy, will result in lower carbon footprint for the CAM products, it adds.

To meet the growing customer demand for the European electric vehicle market, BASF is preparing additional investments for cathode active materials in Europe. With the investments in Schwarzheide, the company is now directly supporting the European market and at the same time enabling faster growth for its global business.

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It is to be noted that BASF already offers cathode active materials based on recycled metals as a closed-loop solution in Asia and North America to conserve resources and further reduce their CO2 footprint.

"By establishing our first European co-located center for battery materials and recycling, we want to strengthen the battery value chain in Europe," said Dr. Peter Schuhmacher, who is responsible for BASF's Battery Materials and Recycling business and President of the Catalysts division.

"We will continue to close the loop and invest in our production and recycling capacities globally to meet the demand of our customers for high-performance cathode active materials with a low CO2 footprint", he added.