Clarios Expands European Recycling Capabilities to Strengthen Circular Economy Leadership

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HANOVER, Germany, Aug. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Clarios, a global leader in advanced energy storage solutions, today announced a significant expansion of its European battery recycling footprint through the integration of three facilities in Freiberg and Braubach, Germany, and Arnoldstein, Austria. This strategic deal enhances Clarios' ability to recover and reuse battery materials, reinforcing its commitment to circularity and sustainable manufacturing across the EMEA region.

The facilities, currently operated by Ecobat, add proven technologies and deep technical expertise in lead and polypropylene (Poly) processing and recovery to Clarios' recycling network. This integration substantially increases the company's in-house recycling capacity and supports its long-term sustainability goals, while helping meet rising regulatory and customer expectations for responsible sourcing and material reuse.

"This expansion marks a major milestone in our European operations," said Werner Benade, President EMEA at Clarios. "It will strengthen our European recycling infrastructure, improves supply chain resilience and supports the delivery of high-quality secondary materials — including those used in our leading VARTA brand — to meet growing demand for advanced low-voltage batteries, support the energy transition in the automotive industry, and reinforce our leadership in the circular economy."

The benefits to Clarios include:

• Increased in-house lead recycling capacity, supporting the closed-loop recovery of materials from end-of-life batteries.
• Expanded polypropylene recycling, including Clarios' first in-house poly compounding capability, aligned with upcoming EU regulations requiring that at least 25% of plastics used in vehicles come from recycled sources, including end-of-life vehicles (ELVs).
• Enhanced European capabilities that strengthen supply chain resilience and support sustainable manufacturing across Europe.

The transaction is expected to close by early-2026, pending regulatory approvals.

The integration of these facilities will also support Clarios' ability to deliver high-quality recycled materials into its product lines, including those under the VARTA brand trusted by millions of drivers across Europe.

About Clarios

Clarios is the global leader in advanced, low-voltage battery technologies for mobility and owner of the brand VARTA in the automotive sector. Our batteries and smart solutions power nearly every type of vehicle and are found in 1 of 3 cars on the road today. With around 18,000 employees in over 100 countries, we bring deep expertise to our Aftermarket and OEM partners, and reliability, safety and comfort to everyday lives. We answer to the planet with a rigorous sustainability focus – advancing best-in-class sustainability practices and advocating for them across our industry. We work to ensure 100% of our products sold are recyclable, and we recycle 8,000 batteries an hour in our network.

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