LG Energy Solution, Derichebourg establish battery recycling JV

LG Energy Solution, Seoul, South Korea, has announced plans to establish a joint venture with French metals recycler Derichebourg to build a battery recycling facility in northern France.

The companies say they expect construction of the facility to begin in 2026 in Bruyères-sur-Oise, located in the Val-d'Oise region of northern France, with operations scheduled to begin in 2027.

The companies say the new facility will specialize in preprocessing activities, such as discharging, dismantling and shredding end-of-life electric vehicle (EV) batteries and battery production scrap. The facility will have a processing capacity of more than 20,000 tons per year once fully operational.

Black mass extracted at the facility will undergo further postprocessing to recover key battery materials such as lithium, nickel and cobalt, the partners say, which then will be used in LG Energy Solution’s battery production. Under the agreement, LG Energy Solution will supply battery scrap from its facility in Poland, while Derichebourg will provide end-of-life EV batteries collected from France and surrounding countries.

Through the joint venture, LG Energy Solution says it is accelerating the development of a closed-loop resource circulation system in Europe, aligning with the company’s goals to enhance raw material sourcing stability and strengthen its value chain competitiveness while reinforcing Europe’s sustainable battery recycling ecosystem.

“This collaboration enables us to secure a stable and cost-competitive supply of recycled battery materials from the advanced processing of end-of-life batteries and battery scrap,” says Chang Beom Kang, LG Energy Solution’s chief strategy officer. “This initiative will also significantly enhance the value we deliver to customers in the recycling sector.”

Noting that the European Union Battery Regulation mandates a minimum level of recycled content in batteries sold in Europe starting in 2031, LG Energy Solution says its partnership with Derichebourg also will address upcoming regulatory requirements. Additionally, the partners aim to support car manufacturers seeking to establish a closed-loop battery recycling system.

“This partnership fully supports our ambition to develop industrial solutions with a high environmental added value, while strengthening the local roots of our activities,” Derichebourg CEO Abderrahmane El Aoufir says.

Derichebourg operates more than 200 collection sites in France and more than 285 sites worldwide.