At the end of 2023, the Aachen-based start-up cylib successfully put its pilot plant for battery recycling into operation. Now it's time for industrial scaling: at the beginning of September, cylib broke ground for its first European industrial plant at Chempark Dormagen together with NRW Minister President Hendrik Wüst. The battery recycling company will create 170 new jobs in the future.
While the pilot plant in Aachen can recycle up to 500 kilograms of batteries per day, the industrial plant in Dormagen is expected to reach a recycling capacity of 30,000 tons of spent batteries – or about 80 tons per day – when it is completed in 2026. With its recycling approach, cylib achieves a local and sustainable production of battery raw materials. In addition, NRW will become an important location for an autonomous circular battery economy in Europe: cylib's industrial plant will enable a circular battery infrastructure and resilient European supply chains.
For Paul Sabarny, CTO and co-founder of cylib, the location offers optimal conditions: "Thanks to the existing infrastructure at Chemiepark, we benefit from enormous speed potential. Waterways, railways and a dense highway network ensure optimal logistical connections to European supply chains and the global supply of customers.
