Cirba Solutions expands Ohio-based lithium-ion battery processing facility

Battery recycler Cirba Solutions, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, has announced that it will expand its lithium-ion processing facility in Lancaster, Ohio, investing more than $200 million in the effort. According to the company, this will be one of the largest battery recycling facilities operating in North America, producing enough battery-grade raw materials to power more than 200,000 new electric vehicles (EVs) annually.

Cirba Solutions, which was formed earlier this year, combines the resources and expertise of battery recyclers Heritage Battery Recycling, Retriev Technologies and Battery Solutions.

The expansion in Lancaster, which is in Fairfield County in the south-central part of Ohio, supports Cirba Solution’s four-year road map to increase its recycled battery cathode production by 600 percent. It also will create an estimated 150 jobs in the greater Columbus area while broadening community outreach and battery education to the public, the company says.

“As a trusted partner in processing end-of-life batteries, this project supports the growing need for providing critical EV materials for a sustainable and sustained domestic battery supply chain,” says David Klanecky, president and CEO of Cirba Solutions. “This strategic location will supply battery-grade metal salts to our customers’ manufacturing facilities, create jobs to grow the local economy and contribute to global reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.” 

Cirba Solutions collects, transports and processes manufacturing scrap and end-of-life batteries, producing black mass from recycled lithium-ion batteries. The company says it has recycled more than 50 million pounds of EV batteries.

“Expanding the capacity for lithium-ion battery recycling within the United States is imperative as the country seeks to increase domestically sourced battery materials,” Klanecky adds. “This will be one of many of our operational investments to strengthen supply, enhance national security and promote sustainability principles. It will also bolster more manufacturers’ ability to reach their electrification goals, including those set out in the Inflation Reduction Act.”

Last month, Cirba Solutions announced plans to construct a lithium-ion battery recycling facility in Eloy, Arizona. The 75,000-square-foot location is expected to process enough battery material to power 50,000 EVs annually, the company says. It aims to open seven additional processing facilities in North America by 2026.