Cirba Solutions Marks Major Milestone in Ohio Lithium-Ion Facility Expansion
Cirba Solutions, a leading battery recycling and materials management company, has achieved a significant milestone in expanding its lithium-ion processing facility in Lancaster, Ohio. The expanded facility will produce battery-grade metal sulfates and lithium carbonate, which will serve as raw materials for precursor cathode active materials (pCAM) and cathode active materials (CAM) to support the production of new batteries. A Topping Out Ceremony was recently held to mark the placement of the final beam for one of the new structures on the site, a symbolic event that highlights the progress of the project.
The event, attended by Cirba Solutions staff, construction teams, and company leadership, celebrated the collective efforts of all involved in moving the expansion forward. "This beam represents everyone's diligent focus on both advancing and moving this key project forward, which will greatly influence the North American critical materials supply chain," said Troy Thennis, Senior Vice President of Growth Projects and Technology at Cirba Solutions. He attributed the progress to the collaboration between the engineering team, operations group, and partners.
The Lancaster facility's expansion comes shortly after a ribbon-cutting ceremony in August, where representatives from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains witnessed a 300% increase in battery processing capacity for end-of-life and scrap batteries. Upon completion, the facility is expected to boost its processing capacity by 600% compared to 2022 levels. The expansion project represents an investment of over $400 million, including $82 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This investment will create over 100 new jobs and produce enough battery-grade salts to power over 250,000 electric vehicle (EV) batteries annually.
David Klanecky, President and CEO of Cirba Solutions, emphasized the strategic importance of increasing lithium-ion processing capacity domestically, stating, "Increasing lithium-ion battery processing capacity allows the U.S. to play a pivotal role in the build-out of the critical materials supply chain." He added that the Lancaster facility's expansion aims to capture critical metals like cobalt, nickel, manganese, and lithium, all of which are essential for a stable and secure closed-loop supply chain.
The Lancaster site is also making progress in its hiring efforts, reaching over 25% of its hiring goal for the expansion. The project is expected to contribute to both local economic development and the strengthening of North America's battery supply chain.
