Cylib receives millions in funding for battery recycling plant in Dormagen

Signal for the future NRW supports cylib in the industrialization of sustainable technologies: FOAK recycling plant to be built in the Dormagen lignite mining area.

Dormagen, November 2024 - cylib GmbH, a specialist in sustainable battery recycling, has received double-digit million funding from the North Rhine-Westphalian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy. The "Produktives.NRW" funding program supports the development of a globally unique FOAK (first-of-a-kind) recycling plant.

Revolutionary recycling technology with OLiC process

The plant will use the company's proprietary OLiC (Optimized Lithium & Graphite Recovery) technology to recover valuable raw materials such as lithium, graphite, cobalt, nickel and manganese from end-of-life batteries. These materials are essential for the implementation of the EU Critical Raw Materials Act and strengthen the circular economy in Europe.

This funding is a significant step towards scaling up our innovative recycling technology and contributing to the circular economy and CO₂ reduction

Dr. Lilian Schwich, founder and CEO of cylib

In the subsequent phases, the depth of added value is to be further increased through additional steps in material processing and upstream process stages.

In the current economic situation, this funding demonstrates the strong will to establish a functioning circular economy in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Dr. Gideon Schwich, founder and CEO of cylib

Implementation in the Rhenish lignite mining area by 2027

The new recycling plant is being built in the Rhenish lignite mining area in Dormagen. By 2027, it will recycle 10,000 tons of black mass per year - the equivalent of around 30,000 tons of used batteries. The process significantly reduces water and chemical consumption compared to primary raw material extraction.

Successes to date and international support

Back in May 2024, cylib secured record funding of 55 million euros (we reported), the largest financing round in European battery recycling. The company was supported by Porsche Ventures, Bosch Ventures, the DeepTech & Climate Fund, NRW.Ventures and other investors. Founded in Aachen in 2022 by Dr.-Ing. Lilian Schwich, Paul Sabarny and Dr.-Ing. Gideon Schwich, cylib is a pioneer in sustainable end-to-end battery recycling, enabling a true circular economy with resource- and climate-friendly processes. cylib currently employs over 80 people.