Campine completes acquisition of Ecobat’s French battery recycling plants
Campine NV, a metal recycling and specialty chemicals company based in Beerse and listed on Euronext Brussels, has completed the acquisition of Ecobat’s French recycling subsidiaries. These consist of two battery recycling plants and one plant for semi-finished lead products. This marks another important step in the expansion of Campine’s European circular activities.
The transaction was completed on 30 September 2025, after the final approvals were obtained from the competent authorities. The two recycling plants will enable Campine to expand its battery recycling capacity by 70,000 tonnes per year. The third plant produces semi-finished lead products, including anodes for the zinc and copper industries.
The acquired activities generated a turnover of approximately €100 million in 2024, with a positive operating result (EBITDA). The final acquisition price will be adjusted based on balance sheet items, including debts, cash and provisions at closing. Campine expects this to amount to approximately €14 million.
Strategic growth in France
‘This is an important step in Campine’s European expansion,’ says Wim De Vos, CEO of Campine. ‘With five sites in France, we will quickly realise operational synergies and further strengthen our regional supply chain.’
David Wijmans, Director Circular Metals, adds: ‘The Ecobat plants have spare smelting capacity that we will utilise immediately. From next year onwards, we also want to adapt some of the furnaces with our own technology so that we can also recover antimony, tin and other metals, fully in line with our multi-material recycling strategy.’
Broad benefits for Campine
The acquisition will also benefit Campine’s recycled plastics division (CrP), as the Ecobat plants generate approximately 3,000 tonnes of polypropylene waste from battery casings each year.
Exclusions
The collection of Li-ion batteries and the sale and distribution of new lead-acid batteries by Ecobat in France are not part of this transaction.