Cylib wins EU grant for major battery recycling plant

German battery recycler cylib has secured EUR 26.1 million in funding from the European Union to build one of Europe’s largest lithium-ion battery recycling facilities at Dormagen in North Rhine-Westphalia.

The grant, under the EU’s ERDF/JTF programme, will finance the first stage of construction. Once operational, the site will process black mass to recover lithium, graphite, cobalt, nickel and manganese for Europe’s growing electric vehicle (EV) and energy storage sectors.

By 2027, the facility will be able to handle up to 140 000 EV batteries annually, equal to 60 000 tonnes of end-of-life batteries or 20 000 tonnes of black mass.

Superior technology

The company’s proprietary OLiC process achieves recovery rates of over 90% for critical materials while cutting carbon emissions by 80% compared with primary raw material extraction. Developed from research at RWTH Aachen University, the water-based process has already been proven at cylib’s Aachen pilot line and will now be scaled up for industrial use.

Lilian Schwich, co-founder and co-ceo of cylib, says: ‘This validates our superior technology and advanced engineering capabilities, whilst recognising our team’s achievements to date.’

Resilience

By scaling next-generation recycling technology, cylib’s new Dormagen facility is designed to strengthen supply chain resilience, reduce dependence on mining, and enhance Europe’s geopolitical independence in critical raw materials.

Founded in 2022 by Schwich, Paul Sabarny and Gideon Schwich, cylib has grown to more than 120 employees and attracted significant backing. Its EUR 55 million Series A financing, led by Porsche Ventures and Bosch Ventures, is said to be the largest funding round to date for a European battery recycling start-up.