EV battery recycling facility to open at Detroit Gateway Industrial Center
(CBS DETROIT) - A battery recycling and minerals recovery facility, part of the EV materials supply chain, has been announced for the Detroit Gateway Industrial Center.
This will be the first U.S. factory for Envergia, which is an industry leader in lithium-ion and electric vehicle battery recycling. The climate technology company originated in Europe.
A date for the factory opening at the Detroit Gateway Industrial Center, which is at Interstate 94 and the Southfield Freeway, was not mentioned in the company's press release.
The project was supported by partnerships with the City of Detroit and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Michigan competed with South Carolina for this project, which has a total capital investment of over $32 million, the MEDC said in its press release.
The development is expected to create about 52 new jobs in technical roles such as engineering, manufacturing and operations, the company said. MEDC said that the jobs at Envergia's Detroit facility will average in pay at $37.68 per hour, which is nearly $14 per hour above the regional median wage of $23.73.
Battery recycling and critical minerals recovery are part of the supply chain for electric vehicles, the company said. And within that technical niche, Envergia claims a 98% efficiency in its critical mineral recovery. The industrial lithium-ion and EV batteries, when processed, have critical materials that can be recycled and thereby lower the demand for raw products.
"Envergia has developed proprietary technology that increases capacity and has less intense capital expenditure per processing plant than competitors," the MEDC said in its announcement.
"By prioritizing resilience in the clean energy transition, we can build a future that safeguards both our environment and our strategic interests," Kerry C. Duggan, board director at Envergia, said. "I moved back home to Detroit for moments like this!"
Founder & CEO MJ Chandilya also referenced the city of Detroit's place in the company's expansion: "Detroit is the perfect home for Envergia's expansion into North America. This was abundantly evident from our first visit to the city. This city embodies resilience, innovation, and opportunity.
"By partnering with the City of Detroit and MEDC, Envergia is not just scaling our vision for clean energy—we are investing in Michigan's future, creating jobs, and ensuring that Detroit continues to lead in building a sustainable economy."
For information about Envergia and its work in clean energy innovation, go to envergia.com.
