The SMS group Hilchenbach manufacturing facility covers a total of 40,000 m² and ranks among the most modern anywhere in the world.

A dedicated 2,000 m² facility houses the Primobius recycling plant. Commercial-scale battery shredding equipment has been integrated with proprietary-design beneficiation and refining circuits. The integrated facility in Hilchenbach provides the opportunity for vehicle, battery and consumer electronics manufacturers to observe the Primobius’ process safely dispose of hazardous LIBs and generate re-usable materials for the production of new batteries and other goods.

The commercial operation of the first Shredder Plant from the Hilchenbach location offers customers the opportunity to dispose of their lithium-ion batteries of types NMC (lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxides), NCA (lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxides), or LCO (lithium cobalt oxides) from consumer electronics or electric vehicles in Hilchenbach in a sustainable way.

Any residual charge in the batteries can be removed at two unloading stations integrated in the process. Dismantling work required for larger modules, for example from electric vehicles, is performed at newly set-up stations before the individual cells are removed and shredded/beneficiated.

The final products resulting from the mechanical comminution and beneficiation in Hilchenbach is a mixed material fraction consisting of copper, aluminum, and plastic parts that have different compositions depending on the type of feedstock used. Following the principles of a circular economy, these materials can be returned straight back to the market. The balance of the active battery material is then ready for sale or refining (Black Mass).