cylib has acquired a discharging, disassembly and mechanical processing facility in Wernberg-Köblitz, Bavaria, capable of handling up to 10,000 metric tons of end-of-life electric vehicle batteries annually. The acquisition, completed through insolvency proceedings, includes the processing line, buildings and property. Under the German Federal Immission Control Act (BImSchG), operations are slated to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026, pending regulatory approval.
By integrating this Bavarian site into its network, cylib enhances its end-to-end recycling model—from battery collection and mechanical preprocessing to hydrometallurgical recovery. The site will yield black mass, which is shipped to cylib’s hydrometallurgical plant under construction in Dormagen, North Rhine-Westphalia. There, black mass is refined into high-quality critical raw materials such as lithium, graphite, nickel, cobalt and manganese. Together, these facilities form one of Europe’s few fully integrated recycling operations within a single company.
“Battery recycling must span the full lifecycle, from end-of-life packs to recovered critical raw materials,” said Dr. Lilian Schwich, co-CEO and co-founder of cylib. “Our pilot plant has demonstrated these capabilities at small scale; the Dormagen plant will handle material refinement, and now the Bavarian facility provides large-scale preprocessing.”
Situated in Germany’s automotive belt, the Wernberg-Köblitz plant offers direct access to major original equipment manufacturers and battery production hubs across southern Germany and Central Europe. By repurposing an existing industrial site, cylib follows a circular-economy approach that reduces environmental impact and expedites commissioning.
Demand for large-scale battery recycling in Europe is increasing rapidly. According to the International Energy Agency’s Global EV Outlook 2026, end-of-life EV batteries in Europe are expected to more than triple between 2030 and 2035.
cylib plans to receive material for recycling at industrial scale beginning in Q4 2026, with full capacity reached by the end of 2027. The company will collaborate closely with authorities, equipment suppliers and customers during the ramp-up phase. Once testing and site upgrades are complete, the first batch of end-of-life batteries will enter processing subject to regulatory clearance.
Source: CYLIB Blog
