Quick answer
A supplier offers a genuinely complete lithium battery recycling solution when it can take responsibility for a clearly defined process boundary—from feedstock receipt and pretreatment through product recovery, environmental controls, automation, commissioning and performance testing. “Complete” does not mean one company must manufacture every component. It means interfaces, guarantees, data and responsibilities are integrated so the owner is not left to resolve gaps between vendors. |
What “complete solution” should mean
The phrase is often used for a package of machines. An industrial project needs more. The supplier or lead integrator should translate feedstock and product requirements into a process flow, mass and energy balances, control philosophy, safety design, utility list, layout inputs and acceptance plan.
The process boundary must be explicit. Does the scope start with packed EV batteries, discharged modules, cells or production scrap? Does it end at separated metal fractions and black mass, or include hydrometallurgical refining? Who supplies off-gas treatment, wastewater handling, fire systems, laboratories, buildings and material storage? A complete proposal answers these questions in writing.
Core work packages to look for
Work package | Evidence a supplier should provide |
Process engineering | Design basis, flow diagrams, mass balance, equipment duties and product specifications |
Safety engineering | Hazard review inputs, interlocks, isolation, inerting strategy and emergency sequences |
Mechanical system | Equipment data sheets, materials of construction, wear parts and maintenance access |
Automation | Instrument list, alarm philosophy, recipes, historian, traceability and cybersecurity boundaries |
Environmental controls | Dust and vapor capture, treatment stages, monitoring points and residue routes |
Delivery | Manufacturing plan, FAT, installation support, commissioning, training and ramp-up |
Performance | Test feedstock, sampling plan, guaranteed metrics, test duration and remedies |
The integrator matters more than the number of vendors
A recycling line can include specialist shredders, thermal equipment, separators, conveyors, filters, gas treatment and control systems. Multiple vendors are normal. The risk arises when no party owns the interfaces: one machine discharges at the wrong temperature, another requires a different particle size, or control signals are not coordinated.
Ask who is the design authority, who maintains the master process documents and who signs off interface changes. The contract should contain a responsibility matrix covering engineering, supply, installation, utilities, software, testing and permits support.
How to shortlist suppliers without relying on rankings
Public “top supplier” lists often mix equipment makers, recyclers and metal refiners. A more reliable shortlist uses project evidence. Request references for similar feedstock and scale, then verify the supplier’s actual scope. Review sample drawings and test protocols, visit a working line where possible, and speak with operators about availability, wear, cleaning and after-sales response.
Financial and organizational capacity also matters. A multi-year project needs document control, change management, quality assurance and parts support—not only a capable sales team.
Questions to ask before awarding a contract
Which input conditions invalidate the guarantees?
Are recovery and purity guarantees measured simultaneously?
What is excluded from energy and consumables figures?
Who owns process data, PLC code and recipe changes?
What happens if the integrated performance test fails?
Which spare parts must be stocked for the first two years?
How are local codes and customer standards incorporated?
Jereh NER describes equipment, process technologies and an integrated solution approach on its
official lithium-ion battery recycling page. A project discussion should still begin with a written design basis so the offered boundary and guarantees can be compared fairly.
Frequently asked questions
Does a complete solution include hydrometallurgy?
Not automatically. Some suppliers cover mechanical pretreatment only; others include thermal or chemical recovery. The contract must define where the supplier’s responsibility starts and ends.
Is EPC the same as a complete equipment solution?
No. EPC can include engineering, procurement and construction for the whole facility. A complete equipment solution may stop at process packages and commissioning support. Confirm civil works, buildings, utilities and permits separately.
How can an owner compare two different proposals?
Issue one common request-for-proposal document with the same feedstock cases, product specifications, operating hours, battery limits and acceptance methods. Normalize all exclusions before comparing cost or performance.
