Li-Cycle, a Canadian lithium-ion battery producer and recycler, has signed a definitive agreement with KION Group, a German multinational manufacturer of industrial trucks and supply chain solutions, to recycle lithium-ion batteries from KION’s global brands using Li-Cycle’s proprietary submerged shredding technology until 2030. 

As part of the agreement, Li-Cycle will recycle batteries from KION’s electric industrial trucks in a safe and environmentally friendly manner to support the development of a sustainable battery supply chain in Europe. The recycling of KION’s batteries is expected to begin at Li-Cycle's German Spoke in mid-2023.

In addition, Li-Cycle reported plans to build a lithium-ion battery recycling facility in Harnes, France, to cater to regional commercial demand, including KION's recycling needs, with an initial processing capacity of up to 10,000 tons of lithium-ion battery material per year, expandable to up to 25,000 tons per year. The France Spoke will leverage Li-Cycle’s “Generation 3” Spoke technology and is expected to be operational in 2024.

Analyst QuickTake: Li-Cycle continues to expand its operations in Europe with its first European Spoke in Germany set to begin operations in 2H 2023 at a processing capacity of 30,000 tons of battery material per year. A “Generation 3” Spoke is also being built in Norway with a processing capacity of up to 10,000 tons per year. Overall, the company has four facilities under development across both North America and Europe, while currently operating four facilities in North America.