The battery recycler Ecobat has announced it has granted Campine, the Belgium-based metals recycling and speciality chemicals company, exclusivity to its battery recycling and specialty lead manufacturing operations in France.
This was after the firm received a binding offer from Campine to acquire these facilities.
The contemplated transaction is said to have included facilities owned by Ecobat in Estrée-Saint-Denis, Bazoches, and Pont-Sainte-Maxence.
It would mark Ecobat’s exit from the French market if the deal is accepted, apart from its lithium-ion battery collection business.
The contemplated transaction still needs to go through the legal information and consultation process with the relevant bodies that represent workers and customary regulatory approvals.
Ecobat calls itself the world’s largest battery recycler, with operations across Europe and the US.
Campine said it would retain all employees if the deal was successful.
Tom Slabe, president & CEO, Ecobat, said: “We are pleased to announce this project for our French recycling operations. This transaction represents an important milestone in our ongoing strategy to sharpen our focus on Ecobat’s core mission of sustainable battery recycling. Ecobat will continue to pursue additional opportunities to maximize value for shareholders beyond this contemplated transaction. We believe that Campine’s expertise and vision represent a strong foundation for the future growth and stability of the French recycling business, benefiting our employees, customers, and suppliers.”
De Vos, Campine CEO, said: “The Ecobat assets are really complementary to Campine’s French operations. Ecobat France has free available smelting capacity, while Campine’s French operations have abundant material in over supply. With this transaction, we would also avoid the complex permitting process of expanding our smelting capacity in Belgium. We would have it ‘immediately’.”
Image: Campine
