One of Britain’s largest integrated salvage and recycling companies is set to turn one of its sites into the UK’s first facility with dedicated EV and hybrid dismantling capability.
Synetiq’s multimillion-pound investment will provide EV-specific equipment such as depollution ramps and quarantine areas for the handling of compromised battery packs at the company’s Winsford facility, which is currently manned by EV-trained specialists.
“We have seen a steady year-on-year rise in the number of electric and hybrid vehicles brought in for end-of-life processing; as the race for reduced emissions intensifies and these vehicles become both older and more commonplace, demand for their associated green parts will continue to increase,” said Tom Rumboll, CEO of Synetiq.
“Technologies and manufacturing techniques will continue to evolve, but the need to reuse and recycle vehicles will remain,” he continued. “Now is the perfect time to invest in our ability to efficiently process EVs and prepare for increased future demand.”
According to Synetiq, battery packs are currently the most popular – and highest value – component reused from EVs and hybrids by the company. “The emergence of advanced powertrain technologies, operating high-voltage systems and posing EV-specific risks such as thermal runaway, has altered best practice for the way they are treated, handled and stored,” said Rumboll.
“Vehicle end-of-life consideration has the potential to provide significant emissions savings that complement gains in reducing exhaust gases; adapting our Winsford site is the first step in ensuring an efficient dismantling process that helps reduce the cost of keeping EVs on the road for longer.”
