Offenbach am Main, 15 June 2016 |
PRESS RELEASE
REDUX Reloaded:
The global market leader for
device battery recycling opens a new high-tech site
and fetches know-how from Austria.
Up to 25,000 tonnes of device batteries can be processed annually by treatment plants designed by REDUX, which opens a new site in Offenbach am Main in the middle of June 2016. At the same time, Saubermacher Dienstleistungs AG, an international recycling company based in Graz, Austria, acquires the remaining 45% of shares in REDUX from the middle of June 2016. Together they are aiming to become market leaders in the recycling of lithium ion batteries as well (e.g. e-cars, laptops, mobile phones).
The ideal location. Around a third of the device batteries collected in Europe can be recycled at the new site in Offenbach am Main. In addition to the additional capacity, production has been significantly improved and there is also the chance to make future expansions. Around 80% of the most important types of batteries, such as alkaline manganese or zinc carbon batteries can be treated by modern facilities. Moreover, the Greater Frankfurt metropolitan area is ideally suited to looking after REDUX’s international customers, offering a range of logistical advantages. A total of around 40 people work at the site.
Around EUR 2 million of investment. In addition to moving to new premises, new and enhanced
technologies are used for the treatment. This makes recirculation of device batteries an industrial
standard for the first time. The new facilities meet the strictest environmental criteria and represent a
further development of the ground-breaking methods also developed by REDUX itself with which old
batteries can be dismantled into their component parts and then used again as secondary raw
materials in the production of batteries. This new method not only conserves valuable primary raw
materials, but also cuts waste by around 30%. The energy required is reduced by a considerable
amount. “In addition to the economic and environmental benefits, the material recycling rate has been
substantially improved as a result of this method and our new facilities. This is of major importance to
our customers,” said Holger Kuhlmann, General Manager of REDUX, emphasising the focus of the
recycling pioneer on its customers and the environment. The first alkaline manganese batteries produced using battery components recycled by REDUX have been
enjoying success on the market since April 2015 (“EcoAdvanced”, Energizer). Another reason why
around EUR 2 million were invested in new facilities. Up to 25,000 tonnes of batteries can be handled
at the new production site. This corresponds to around one billion individual batteries.
Pooling forces. Yesterday, the internationally active disposal specialist Saubermacher signed the contract to acquire the remaining 45% of shares in REDUX. These will be retrospectively transferred as per 1 January. “We are very pleased that the future and further development of REDUX and its employees have been secured with the acquisition by Saubermacher,” say now former owners Helga and Manfred Berger and Claudia Möser in unison. “Saubermacher is the number one in Austria for the collection and sorting of device batteries, but did not have its own processing facilities. We have been supplying our batteries to REDUX for many years now, thereby maintaining a very good partnership. When the shares were put up for sale, it was a logical step for us to submit an offer too,” said Gerhard Ziehenberger, Chief Technical Officer at Saubermacher Dienstleistungs AG, explaining the significant interest in the German battery recycler. The “BAT2BAT” vision should be pursued together with the shared know-how. The aim is to obtain even more valuable materials from batteries so as to be able to reuse them in the production of batteries. Furthermore, Saubermacher Dienstleistungs AG has been conducting intensive research work for over five years in the area of recycling lithium ion batteries used in the field of mobility.
Many governments, including Germany, Norway and Austria, would like to help e-mobility achieve a breakthrough with a range of incentives. “We believe that quantities will rise significantly and are aiming to become market leaders here together with REDUX,” said Hans Roth, Founder and majority shareholder of Saubermacher Dienstleistungs AG, describing the joint future plans.
Celebrating together. The takeover by the Saubermacher Group was celebrated together with
customers and partners from over 12 different countries, along with the move to the new location and
the commissioning of the new high-tech facilities. All REDUX employees were also present. The
management closed operations at Offenbach and Bremerhaven for this special occasion.
Gerhard Ziehenberger, COO Saubermacher, Holger Kuhlmann, REDUX General Manager, Gerald Schmidt, REDUX General Manager, Hans Roth, Saubermacher founder (from the left.), Photo credits: Saubermacher
Gerhard Ziehenberger, COO Saubermacher, Holger Kuhlmann, REDUX General Manager, Gerald Schmidt, REDUX General Manager, Hans Roth, Saubermacher founder, Ralf Mittermayr, CMO Saubermacher, Georg Ketzler, CFO Saubermacher (from the left), Photo credits: Saubermacher
Please follow the link below for more photos of the press conference:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/saubermacher/sets/72157648290990114/
About REDUX
The company founded in 1997 and based near Frankfurt is Europe’s market leader for primary device
battery recycling, with over 15 years of experience in processing battery components from the area of
e-mobility. A total of 46,000 tonnes of batteries can be processed every year at the company’s
facilities in Offenbach am Main and Bremerhaven. Courtesy of its own technical developments, it is
able to implement the entire portfolio of battery recycling and offer its customers all services ranging
from sorting to recycling. The company employs around 70 people and includes battery return
systems from 20 different countries as its customers. The Austrian disposal company Saubermacher
has been the sole owner of the recycling pioneer since the middle of 2016. Please refer to the
company’s website for further information: www.redux-gmbh.de.
About Saubermacher
Saubermacher Dienstleistungs AG is an international disposal and recycling company based in
Feldkirchen bei Graz. The family-run company was founded in 1979 by Hans and Margret Roth with
the aim of making a contribution to a liveable environment every day. Today, the award-winning
company is a competent partner for around 1,600 municipalities and over 40,000 companies,
employing around 3,200 people in Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Hungary, the United
Arab Emirates and Oman. Please refer to the company’s website for further information: www.saubermacher.at.
Enquiries
Saubermacher Dienstleistungs AG
Bernadette Triebl-Wurzenberger
Head of Corporate Communications
M: +43 664 80598 1013
E: b.triebl@saubermacher.at I www.saubermacher.at