With a strategic facility conversion, paired with multiple expansions, the battery material and manufacturing company has increased its processing capacity for battery production.
[Note: On January 19, 2022, Battery Resourcers changed its name to Ascend Elements.]
WORCESTER, Mass., Aug. 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Battery Resourcers, a vertically integrated lithium-ion battery recycling and manufacturing company, today announced the opening of two new pilot plants, in addition to the conversion of its current operation in Worcester, Massachusetts, to support the company’s overall expansion and to service new customers. The expansion will serve to build Battery Resourcers’ processing capacity, as well as further support the technology development of closed loop sustainable materials. Beyond simple recycling, this process returns custom developed cathode back into the supply chain. The advanced new facilities, strategically located in Westborough, Massachusetts and Novi, Michigan, mark a significant step in scaling up Battery Resourcers’ pilot operations before continued commercial expansion in North America, as well as Europe, that will be announced later this year.
More than just a battery recycling service, Battery Resourcers is a battery materials company providing multiple material re-entry options into the battery supply chain. Materials produced range from critical metals (lithium, cobalt, nickel and manganese) to more highly engineered battery materials such as cathode precursors, cathode active materials and battery-grade graphite. With this expansion and opening of additional United States facilities, Battery Resourcers has positioned itself as a leading company in the production of sustainable battery materials to support the needs of battery producers and vehicle equipment manufacturers as they expand their electric vehicle (EV) production.
“The completion of this comprehensive expansion project is a critical milestone for Battery Resourcers,” shares Michael O’Kronley, CEO and director of Battery Resourcers. “With this strategic facility conversion, paired with multiple expansions, Battery Resourcers has the increased capability and capacity for processing end-of-life, warranty return and production scrap batteries into cathode active material for new battery production.”
As part of this important expansion, the current Battery Resourcers operation center in Worcester, Massachusetts will be converted into a mechanical shredding operation, including disassembly, discharge and shredding operation for cells, modules and complete battery packs. In addition to research and development support, the Worcester operation will be part of the company’s spoke network to support the rapidly expanding EV market.
The brand new facility in Westborough, Massachusetts will process black mass to cathode precursor material and purify the recovered graphite to battery grade at a purity level higher than 99.9%. The battery material research and development team will also be relocated to Westborough to closely integrate lab development and increased manufacturing scaling efforts. The Novi, Michigan facility will support the company’s commitment to developing and commercializing battery materials, including the sintering and finishing of high-energy density nickel manganese cobalt cathode. The Novi site also contains a state of the art materials analytical lab, as well as lab scale battery production and test capabilities, to fully evaluate the performance of Battery Resourcers’ battery materials.