Machinery matters: addressing challenges in manufacturing equipment

At Battery Innovation Days, the session "Machinery Matters: Addressing Challenges in Manufacturing Equipment" will tackle a critical need in the European battery industry: strengthening manufacturing capabilities to secure Europe’s position in the global battery value chain.

As the battery sector expands to meet the demands of electric vehicles and energy storage, manufacturing equipment becomes a linchpin, determining efficiency, quality, and scalability. Europe’s dependency on Asia for battery manufacturing equipment, which currently holds 92% of the global market share, puts the region at a strategic disadvantage.

For Europe to foster a self-sustaining battery ecosystem, it is essential to develop its manufacturing capabilities. The current challenges, including high initial scrap rates and equipment shortages, hinder efficient ramp-up of production, leading to substantial financial impacts. For instance, according to one Fraunhofer FFB study, scrap rates in early production can reach up to 30%, costing around €900,000 per day. This, combined with an average seven-month delay in reaching full production capacity, poses a risk to the viability of new gigafactories. Addressing these challenges requires robust machinery that aligns with European standards and can operate at the high levels of automation required for competitive production.

Europe must accelerate innovation and enhance collaboration across stakeholders, from equipment suppliers to OEMs. Strengthening local manufacturing clusters and establishing standardised, modular machinery could help meet the industry’s projected annual growth rate of 50% and secure a larger share of the global market. Ultimately, Europe’s success hinges on developing agile, high-quality production systems that can keep pace with the global battery industry’s rapid expansion.

Battery Innovation Days provides a unique platform to drive these discussions and solutions, underscoring the essential role of manufacturing equipment in achieving Europe’s technological sovereignty in the battery sector. Join the discussion!

Thanks to BEPA Secretariat for writing this article. The Batteries European Partnership Association (BEPA) is the international non-profit making association (AISBL) representing the private-side of the BATT4EU Partnership. It gathers the European battery community willing to contribute to the ambitious upcoming Research & Innovation Batteries Partnership under Horizon Europe.