Following intensive research and development, Saubermacher, working with REDUX Recycling, has been able to develop a proprietary recycling process for electric vehicle batteries. The current owner of Redux, Redwood, subjects the process to continuous development, with the strategic support of Saubermacher.
The recycling plant was constructed in Bremerhaven, Germany, in 2018. Recycling is carried out in three or four steps, depending on the size of the battery – discharge, disassembly, thermal pre-treatment and mechanical treatment. The process combines thermal treatment processes with mechanical separation to achieve optimal results. Battery recycling rates of up to 95 per cent are already beingn achieved for metals. In addition, high-quality active masses containing nickel, cobalt, lithium and copper are produced for processing in hydrometallurgical processes.