Leclanché has secured a CHF21m ($21.7m) loan from a Danish lender to enact its 2015 growth plan, including the development of lithium-ion chemistries other than its proprietary lithium titanate cells.
The Swiss lithium-ion cell maker says the 18-month credit facility from Recharge ApS will allow it to develop high energy density lithium-ion chemistries such as LFP or graphite/NMC, coupled with the company’s lithium titanate chemistry to address power-intensive applications. The plan also includes the acquisition or licensing of battery module designs and BMS software.
In addition, Leclanché will seek to offer packaged energy storage solutions focused on diesel and solar PV hybrid systems, as well as grid ancillary services and solutions for EVs and industrial sectors, such as buses, marine systems and materials handling equipment. In a statement, the company said: “The 2015 Growth Plan positions the company as a complete battery systems provider with the ability to address the full spectrum of power-intensive and high energy-density applications.”
Effective 1 January, Leclanché will be organized around three business units: Stationary Storage Systems, Specialty Battery Systems and Mobile Storage Systems. To this end, Martti Ukkonen, formerly CFO of Finland’s European Batteries – which was declared bankrupt in July 2013 – has been appointed executive vice president of the newly-formed Mobile Storage Systems business unit.
The loan is set to mature on June 30, 2016. The company will invite shareholders to an extraordinary general meeting to be held on 5th Jan 2015 to approve the plans.
Leclanché manufactures large-format lithium-ion cells, focused on lithium titanate with its patented ceramic separator, and has an annual capacity of 1m cells or 76 MWh.
