Dürr plans new pilot line for dry coating of electrodes
The German company is breaking new ground in collaboration with battery cell manufacturer Cellforce and US-based company LiCAP. A new dry coating facility in Kirchentellinsfurt, Germany, is scheduled to commence operations in 2026.
From electric cars to headphones: The demand for lithium-ion batteries is increasing worldwide. However, the production of the electrodes required for this is energy-intensive and involves the use of toxic solvents. Therefore, Dürr is breaking new ground with the battery cell manufacturer Cellforce and the US company LiCAP. Together, the three partners are planning an innovative pilot plant for the dry coating of electrode foils at Cellforce in Kirchentellinsfurt, Germany. "Compared to conventional wet coating, this future-oriented technology offers significant advantages in terms of costs, energy consumption and CO2 emissions," the company says. "Furthermore, this eliminates the need for solvents."
Energy savings of up to 40%
In the production of electrodes, thin metal foils are coated with the cathode and anode material consisting of chemicals. Today, this is usually done using wet material and solvents. The plant that is to be built in Kirchentellinsfurt near Stuttgart, Germany, in contrast, will work with dry material. This will enable energy savings of up to 40% by eliminating the need for drying ovens. At the same time, production time will be reduced by around 20% and CO2 emissions will be decreased by around 1 ton per 10 kilowatt hours of electrode capacity produced.
"Dry coating has the potential to make battery production significantly more efficient and sustainable. Together with Cellforce and LiCAP, we see ourselves as an enabler for the new technology and its use on an industrial scale," says Dr. Jochen Weyrauch, CEO of Dürr AG.
Reducing CO2 emissions and manufacturing costs
"We are seeing remarkable progress made by LiCAP's Activated Dry Electrode technology in reducing internal resistance for high-performance cells, minimising space requirements and significantly reducing CO2 emissions and manufacturing costs," say Dr Markus Gräf, COO, and Dr Heino Sommer, CTO of Cellforce. "We look forward to continuing to work with Durr and LiCAP to further develop this highly innovative technology to market as quickly as possible."
The dry coating plant at Porsche subsidiary Cellforce is scheduled to go into operation in 2026. It is based on the patented Activated Dry Electrode process of the Californian battery material specialist LiCAP, with whom Dürr has been cooperating since 2023. The pressing of the dry chemical powder onto the foils is done using the calendering technology of the French Dürr subsidiary Ingecal. Dürr has already built a similar test plant on a gigawatt scale in Chassieu in the south of France.
About Dürr
The Dürr Group, headquartered in Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany, is one of the world's leading mechanical and plant engineering firms with particular expertise in the technology fields of automation, digitalization, and energy efficiency. Its products, systems and services enable highly efficient and sustainable manufacturing processes – mainly in the automotive industry and for producers of furniture and timber houses, but also in sectors such as the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, medical devices, electrical engineering and battery production. In 2023, the company generated sales of €4.6 billion. The Dürr Group has around 20,000 employees and 141 business locations in 33 countries. As of January 1, 2025, the former divisions Paint and Final Assembly Systems and Application Technology were merged to form the new Automotive division. Since then, the Dürr Group has been operating in the market with four divisions: Automotive, Industrial Automation, Woodworking, Clean Technology Systems Environmental.
Caption: The dry coating plant at Porsche subsidiary Cellforce is based on the patented Activated Dry Electrode process of Californian battery material specialist LiCAP, with whom Dürr has been cooperating since 2023. The pressing of the dry chemical powder onto the foils is done using the calendering technology of the French Dürr subsidiary Ingecal. Dürr has already built a similar test plant on a gigawatt scale in Chassieu in the south of France. (Image: Dürr Group)
Source: Dürr Group