US-based Ecobat is selling its German and Austrian lead-acid battery recycling operations for an undisclosed sum to Clarios, an international starter batteries manufacturer and owner of the Varta brand in the automotive sector. The move continues Ecobat’s withdrawal from the lead segment in Europe, following the recent sale of its French and Italian facilities.
The transaction covers used lead-acid battery (ULAB) recycling plants in Freiberg and Braubach in Germany and in Arnoldstein in Austria. According to the most recent annual financial report published in Germany's Federal Gazette, the Freiberg site had 146 employees in 2024 and processed around 50,900 tonnes of end-of-life batteries, generating revenues of €159.1m.
In Braubach, Ecobat posted a negative net result amid declining volumes and revenues: the quantity of waste batteries processed declined to 47,000 tonnes in 2024, down from 54,000 tonnes in the previous year. In the same period, revenues dropped from €120.8m in 2023 to €102.5m last year. Net earnings before loss absorption by the parent company were a loss of €2.4m, compared to a loss of €3.1m in the previous year.
Ecobat retains LIB recycling operations in Hettstedt
Ecobat will retain ownership of its site in Hettstedt, near Halle in Germanys, which recycles lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) from electric vehicles. "Upon completion, this transaction will enable Ecobat to concentrate its efforts on core recycling operations, as well as our global lithium-ion battery business", commented Tom Slabe, president and CEO of Ecobat. The company also operates LIB recycling sites in Darlaston, UK, and in the US state of Arizona.
For Clarios, low-voltage lead-acid batteries are the central line of business. With the acquisition, the company aims to expand its European recycling footprint and increase its in-house capacity in this field. Clarios said the deal would provide access to proven technologies and expertise in processing and recovering lead and polypropylene, the main component of battery casings. The integration of Ecobat’s plants is also expected to help the company meet tightening regulatory requirements and rising customer expectations for responsible sourcing and material reuse.
Werner Benade, president EMEA at Clarios, described the take-over as a "major milestone" for the company's European operations. "It will strengthen our European recycling infrastructure, improves supply chain resilience and supports the delivery of high-quality secondary materials – including those used in our leading VARTA brand – to meet growing demand for advanced low-voltage batteries, support the energy transition in the automotive industry, and reinforce our leadership in the circular economy."
Clarios reports that it produces around 150 million low-voltage batteries a year for starting, lighting and ignition functions in vehicles, and operates a global recycling network capable of processing some 70 million used batteries annually. In Germany, the company already owns a recycling plant in Buchholz-Krautscheid in the West of Germany. According to management, the site has capacity to recycle around six million lead-acid batteries a year.
In 2019, the site's then owner, the Johnson Controls Power Solutions division, was sold to the financial investor Brookfield Business Partners and renamed Clarios.
This article was updated on 25 August to include information about the Freiberg and Braubach site's financial results and tonnages treated in 2024.
