The energy solutions developer Sunlight Group, part of the Greek Olympia Group, has acquired the remaining 45% stake of its French subsidiary for an undisclosed sum.
Sunlight said France is the second most important industrial battery market in Europe, valued at €250 million ($272 million) annually, considered to be an emerging market for industrial mobility and logistics solutions, driven by substantial investments in renewable energy and sustainable manufacturing.
Lambros Bisalas, CEO of Sunlight Group, attended the Choose France 7th Summit, held in May at the Palais de Versailles in Paris. Business leaders met with president Emmanuel Macron to discuss investment plans.
This is the fourth considerable acquisition by Sunlight since the beginning of 2023, starting with the acquisition of the remaining 50% stake in its German recycling subsidiary Ubatt. Later, the German company A. Müller was incorporated and the global, Germany-based Triathlon Group, became a 100% group company.
Sunlight has also recently established units in Spain and in Israel. In 2014 a modern lead-acid recycling plant was inaugurated in Komotini in north-eastern Greece, supplying more than 50% of the secondary lead demand of Sunlight. That is around 100,000 tons/year, set to be doubled in 2025.
The group offers lithium-ion batteries for energy storage and for vehicles, but also lead-acid batteries for industrial trucks, mobile airport ground service applications, chargers and digital energy management products.
Bisalas said: “France is one of the most exciting battery markets in Europe, offering high growth potential. We hope the new management will drive growth and optimise operations, establishing a central hub to better serve customers all over the country and strengthen dealer relationships.” Arnaud Bondelu, managing director of the French subsidiary, said France is currently undergoing a dynamic development, in particular with adaptation of lithium-ion battery technology.
After the integration of the French company Sunlight Group has more than 3,600 employees in Europe, North America, Middle East and Australia.
