As of September 12, 2025, SMS group has acquired the remaining 50 percent stake in Primobius GmbH from Neometals, making Primobius a wholly owned subsidiary. Primobius will continue to operate as an independent legal entity, retaining autonomous management of its day-to-day operations while benefiting from SMS group’s global resources, engineering expertise, and international network.
Primobius delivers end-to-end solutions for lithium-ion battery recycling, covering every stage of the process—from discharge, dismantling, and shredding to beneficiation and hydrometallurgical refining. Its multi-stage approach enables the recovery of key battery metals, including lithium, nickel, and cobalt, at high purity levels, supporting a closed-loop cycle for critical raw materials.
Under a long-term service agreement, Primobius will continue joint technology development with Neometals, ensuring ongoing innovation and optimization of its recycling processes. With SMS group’s backing, Primobius is preparing to transition from pilot and joint-development phases to deploying and scaling industrial-scale recycling plants worldwide.
Thomas Hansmann, CTO of SMS group, commented, “By fully integrating Primobius into our group, we reinforce our capabilities in sustainable battery recycling and underscore our long-term commitment to this growth market. Our support will accelerate the global roll-out of Primobius’ industrial recycling plants.”
Michel Siemon, CEO of Primobius, added, “Our collaboration with Neometals has been instrumental in setting international benchmarks for battery recycling. Under this new ownership structure and service agreement, we will continue delivering plants that recover critical raw materials in high purity, maintain valuable resources in the loop, and contribute measurably to industry sustainability.”
This acquisition strengthens the foundation for scaling Primobius’ sustainable, industrial-scale recycling solutions to meet rising demand for energy storage materials and supports the circular economy for battery components.
Source: Primobius Press Release
