US lead producer and recycler Ecobat divested its British subsidiary Ecobat Solutions in Darlaston in early May. The transaction does not concern the group's lead recycling segment, from which Ecobat has gradually withdrawn in recent months. Instead, the sale involves lithium-ion battery (LIB) recycling operations, the business area it previously identified as a strategic focus when explaining its exit from European lead recycling activities.
The buyer is the British company Mulberry Waste Holdings, which said that the acquisition positions it "at the forefront of a sector experiencing rapid growth". The company says it currently employs 90 people. Its range of services includes hazardous waste disposal, chemical treatment, waste electrical and electronic (WEEE) equipment recycling and fluorescent lamp recycling. The take-over of Ecobat Solutions adds "complementary expertise", particularly in the collection and recovery of lithium-ion batteries, founder and managing director Hassan Isaji said. "As the UK transitions towards electrification, the ability to safely collect, process and recycle batteries at scale will be essential."...
