Li-Cycle, a Canadian lithium-ion battery manufacturer and recycler, has formed a joint venture (JV) with Eco Stor (European battery manufacturer and recycler) and Morrow Batteries (Norwegian battery manufacturer) to establish a recycling facility in southern Norway. 

The new facility will have the capacity to process up to 10,000 tonnes of lithium-ion batteries per annum and will be Li-Cycle’s first battery recycling plant outside North America. The facility is expected to be operational in Q1 2023 and will bring Li-Cycle’s total expected global recycling capacity to 40,000 tonnes per year.

As per the terms of the deal, Li-Cycle will become the majority shareholder of the JV, with Eco Stor and Morrow being minor stakeholders. Li-Cycle will also become the exclusive technology provider for the facility, while Eco Stor and Morrow Batteries will provide end-of-life batteries and battery scrap, respectively. 

The site for the facility is yet to be finalized and the construction is subject to Norwegian regulatory approvals under the guidance of Koch Engineered Solutions (KES), the equipment manufacturer for industrial facilities. 

Li-Cycle enters the European market with this JV. The collaboration is expected to increase the level of lithium-ion battery recycling in Europe in the long term.

To date, Li-Cycle has been focusing on strengthening its presence in North America, operating one facility in Canada, one in New York, and building its third and fourth recycling plants in Arizona and Tuscaloosa.