Clarios, the US-based battery maker, has announced that it will acquire three facilities in Germany and Austria from the recycler Ecobat in plans to expand its European battery recycling footprint.
The three Ecobat facilities include battery recycling and speciality lead operations, which also process and recover polypropylene (poly). They are located in Freiberg and Braubach, Germany, and Arnoldstein, Austria.
This acquisition is said to increase the company’s in-house lead recycling capabilities and provide its first in-house poly compounding capability. This aligns with the upcoming EU regulation that requires at least 25% of the plastics used in vehicles come from recycled sources. This includes end-of-life vehicles.
Clarios, which has around 18,000 employees in over 100 countries, said its plans means it can deliver more recycled materials into its product lines, including the Varta brand in the automotive sector.
Ecobat said it is shifting its focus to its core recycling operations and its lithium-ion business, after also having sold its French and Italian facilities as well as its battery distribution.
The transaction is expected to close in early 2026, pending regulatory approvals.
“This expansion marks a major milestone in our European operations,” said Werner Benade, president EMEA, Clarios. “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.”
Image: Clarios has acquired three facilities from Ecobat, which includes lead processing. Credit: Clarios.
