Altilium Metals chooses Teesside for ‘UK’s largest’ vehicle battery recycling plant

Plans have been unveiled to create the UK’s largest electric vehicle battery recycling plant on Teesside.

Altilium Metals has chosen the region to build a 200-job factory.

Bosses say the “multi-million-pound” base will turn battery waste from more than 150,000 electric vehicles into a key component for new power packs.

The plant is expected to open in 2025, with a final decision on its Teesside location due early next year.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “Electric vehicles have a big role to play in our low-carbon future, but there are still significant advances that need to be made to ensure their production is as clean and efficient as possible.

“Altilium Metals’ recycling technology can help play a massive part in this.

“We’re seeing a lot of activity in electric vehicle innovation here, with other plans for lithium plants for battery production moving on swiftly.

“This latest announcement will help cement our expertise and status as a fantastic place to do business, helping to attract more firms in the cleaner, safer and healthier industries of tomorrow, while creating hundreds more good-quality, well-paid jobs.”

Altilium Metals recently secured £3 million Government cash to scale up its process of extracting metals from spent batteries.

Kamran Mahdavi, the company’s chief executive, added: “We are excited to announce Teesside as the preferred location for our first UK recycling plant.

“Until recently, lithium-ion batteries were regarded as hazardous waste, but they can actually serve as valuable sources of raw materials – such as lithium, nickel and cobalt.

“Recycling, or ‘urban mining’, will play an important role in making sure these valuable metals are returned to the supply chain in the most environmentally friendly way, rather than ending up as landfill waste.”