Renewable energies | Lithion recycling “has the wind in its sails”

Lithion recycling started the year with a bang. After announcing several projects, the lithium-ion battery recycling company must now accelerate the pace to meet the exponential demands of the market.

Emilie Laperriere
special cooperation

Things are moving in the lithium-ion battery sector, and business is booming at Recyclage Lithion. “We have the wind in our sails. It’s really encouraging, we are growing strongly,” rejoices Jean-Christophe Lambert, Director of Growth and Business Development.

The Montreal company, which has nearly 30 employees, has been operating a pilot plant in the borough of Anjou since 2020. It claims to be able to recover up to 95% of battery components so that they can be reused by manufacturers.

Two factories and a development center

Last January, the company announced the construction of its first electric vehicle battery crushing plant, with a capacity of 7,500 metric tons per year or 20,000 electric vehicle batteries.

If the location has not yet been determined, the plant should be built in the greater Montreal area. “We are aiming for the second half of 2023 for commissioning,” he adds.

Recycling Lithion will then build a hydrometallurgy plant, which will transform black powder into materials – such as nickel or graphite – to manufacture new batteries. “This stage will go into production in 2025,” emphasizes the Director of Growth and Business Development.

The team is still looking for where to set it up. Due to its imposing size, however, it risks ending up outside the island of Montreal.

A technological development center must also see the light of day. “It will include a permanent pilot line to continue doing research and development. We will also have laboratories on site. The majority of our technical team will be based there. »

Other projects in the pipeline

The ambition of Recyclage Lithion goes beyond our borders: the company is working on a project in South Korea. “We sold an exclusive license to a local partner [IS Dongseo Company]. We are working with him to develop similar factories there,” explains Jean-Christophe Lambert. The company has other similar projects underway in the United States.

In anticipation of all these projects, Recyclage Lithion should double its number of employees by the end of the year.

Managing growth, quite a challenge

The market for batteries and its affiliated products is very dynamic. “Enthusiasm is important. There is an incredible demand everywhere on the planet, whether it is for lithium, nickel or cobalt. The needs for recycling and managing batteries at the end of their life are growing every year,” observes Jean-Christophe Lambert.

This reality creates a welcome buzz around Lithion Recycling, but it also brings some pressure. “The market is pushing for us to deploy more quickly, both in Quebec and internationally. Growth management is a challenge. We are stepping up to complete our projects faster and serve our customers. »