The Battery Tech Expo group has added a new show to its stable, due to take place in France next January. It will focus on the battery industry in and around Lille – known as the electric valley of France – thanks to gigafactories under development and nearby automotive supply chain. Investment is estimated at around €14 billion ($15 billion).
Gigafactories are under development by Verkor, Envision, Prologium and ACC, and their work will feature in the show, including with presentations and plant tours. Vehicle maker Renault has confirmed its participation as a battery assembler and cell pack manufacturer, organisers said.
David Reeks, managing director of Battery Tech Expo, said not only is the region of significant interest to the international market, but the event has received a lot of backing from the local French authorities.
The company also hosts expos in Gothenburg, Sweden; and Silverstone in the UK – both close to automotive manufacturing. The US show, to be held next June in Huntsville, Alabama, will focus on gigafactory and battery technology in the heart of the so-called ‘battery belt’.
Reeks said a new show is under consideration is southern Europe next year, but details are under wraps for now. His concept with all the events is to delve into technical detail of the battery value chain and avoid being ‘just another battery show’. The events are aimed at the entire value chain, including engineers, scientists and academics.
“I think where we need to pitch ourselves is that we provide technical content. It’s not another show where we get some member of parliament saying ‘EVs are the future’. We are drilling down into the different simulations, design operations for solid-state batteries, and so on. It’s quite technical.”
Reeks said as the world continues to recover from the pandemic, demand is pushing him to put on two-day events rather than one-days.
Photo: David Reeks aiming for technical detail. David Reeks
