GS Construction Accelerates Secondary Battery Recycling Business... Factory Groundbreaking in Pohang

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] GS Engineering & Construction is breaking ground on its lithium-ion battery recycling (secondary battery recycling) business.

GS Engineering & Construction announced that its subsidiary Enerma held a groundbreaking ceremony on the 15th at the Regulatory Free Zone in Yeongilman 4 General Industrial Complex, Pohang. The event was attended by Heo Yunhong, Head of GS Engineering & Construction's New Business Division, Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk Province, and Lee Kang-deok, Mayor of Pohang.

Enerma is a wholly owned subsidiary of GS Engineering & Construction, and its name is derived from combining the first letters of Energy and Materials, 'Ener+Ma.' It is an energy materials specialized company established as a corporation in October last year.

The plant under construction will have an annual processing capacity of 20,000 tons. The process involves collecting used secondary batteries, physically crushing them, producing black powder (a black mass containing lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese, etc., obtained by finely shredding the battery and heat-treating it), and extracting secondary battery material metals through a wet refining process.

Enerma plans to invest approximately 150 billion KRW initially and start commercial production from 2023. The plant to be built will establish an automated facility system based on GS Engineering & Construction's accumulated experience in plant and environmental facility design and construction.

The expansion into the secondary battery recycling business aligns with GS Group's major management policy this year, "Promoting sustainable future growth through eco-friendly management."

Enerma aims to expand its business by establishing a circular collaboration system that connects production, recycling, and material manufacturing beyond secondary battery recycling.

Heo Yunhong said, "Following this groundbreaking ceremony, we will proceed with the business in earnest to secure competitiveness in battery materials and revitalize the local economy through job creation. GS Engineering & Construction will grow the battery recycling business as a pillar of eco-friendly new businesses and continue sustainable management that considers the environment and society as an ESG leading company."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.