UK chemicals manufacturer Leverton Helm has opened a new lithium chloride processing plant in Basingstoke. The company says 10,000 tonnes of lithium chloride solution will be produced annually in the state-of-the-art facility. This will serve as a vital feedstock for the manufacturing of high performance batteries essential for EVs and grid-scale energy storage.
The plant reacts lithium carbonate, imported from South America, with hydrochloric acid to produce a 40% solution of lithium chloride to be used as an electrolyte component in lithium-ion batteries, and also in solid-state.
As part of the UK’s emerging battery material supply chain, Leverton Helm hope to provide secure domestic access to a crucial critical mineral and reduce reliance on international markets; thereby building the economic resilience of the UK and contributing to a more environmentally responsible manufacturing ecosystem.
The new £35 million ($40 million/€45 million) project is currently employing 76 people and expects to provide an increase in highly-skilled jobs, having further expansion plans.
Stefan Schnabel, CEO, said of the facility, “It’s not only the biggest in the UK, it’s the biggest in Europe and the US. We are securing processing capacity in Europe and especially in the UK for a crucial element, which is essential to the production of every EV.
“The team here is creative and motivated, and there are plenty of ideas for where to invest next and, therefore, to expand the capacity,” he added.
Schnabel concluded: “By establishing this cutting-edge lithium processing facility in Basingstoke, Leverton Helm is playing a key and proactive role in securing the reliable, resilient and domestic supply of this absolutely essential material in the UK and Europe.”
Photo: Stephan Schnaber, CEO/owner (left) with Paul Harvey, Leader, Basingstoke & Dean Borough Council (right). Credit: Leverton Helm
