Andrada Group News

18 January 2024

Slovenian owned company Andrada Group to open a HUF 13 billion plant in Sóskút to recycle green energy storage systems

With an investment of 13 billion HUF the Slovenian owned Andrada Group is opening a high-tech plant to recycle green energy storage systems in Sóskút. The company plans to create a total of 160 new jobs in 2 years. This process will contribute to the green transformation of the automotive and other industries. The company plans to start its operation in Sóskút late February, to be followed by other locations in Hungary and wider Europe, starting with Andrada operations in Spain.

Electric mobility has an important role to save the planet from climate change. The green transformation process has already begun: all new passenger cars registered in the EU are set to be zero emission from 2035 and therefore electric.

Hungary is one of the leading EU member in this process, in the areas of producing green energy and green energy storage systems. A lot of new investments in the EV automotive industry have been announced in Hungary in the recent months. Nevertheless, the whole value chain of the green transition will yet be fully closed with the announcement of Andrada Group: putting in place the high-tech, clean and safe recycling of green energy storage systems in Sóskút and, according to the company’s future plans, in several other locations in Hungary and Europe. The company will soon start its operations in South of Spain as well.
“Andrada will be an important European player in the green transition process since recycling of green energy storage systems is the last still missing part of the fully sustainable value chain. Andrada’s technology ensures that core strategical materials used for green energy storage systems can be used again for unlimited times. We will support giga factories in Hungary to recycle these materials locally” – emphasizes Peter Tibaut, Andrada’s CEO.

The total amount of the investment in Sóskút is 13 billion HUF. This is the biggest ever Slovenian investment in Hungary. Andrada plans to create a total of 160 new jobs. Andrada will hire local, Hungarian qualified experts. 
Peter Tibaut adds: “in the first step, our plant will start as a low-capacity, non-hazardous metal waste recycling facility. In the second step, after a successful ramp up phase, the company will extend up to the full scale in material and volume. Based on that, we will apply for operational permit with a comprehensive environmental impact assessment (EIA). In both steps our operations will follow the highest environmental requirements and EU standards”.

Emission control, waste management and long-term sustainability are the key aspects of Andrada’s technology in terms of minimizing environmental footprint. 
The leaders of the company have decades of extensive experience in the high-tech automotive industry: co-founder, Dr. Iztok Seljak, managing director of Slovenian company Hidria Holding, which won an European Eco Award in 2016 and is already present in Hungary as Hidria Bausch in Gyöngyös and the co-founder, Peter Tibaut played an important role in the development of Li-ion batteries at Magna Steyr in Austria.
Andrada plans to commence its operations in Sóskút after all the required permits are granted. The plant will have an insignificant water consumption. The company will perform mechanical processing of the inactive energy storage systems. The process consists of the mechanical pretreatment shredding in fire and explosion proof process, after which the carbonization process prepares the shredded material for the electro-mechanical separation. The end products are components for active cathode material production, Aluminium, Copper and Steel.

Comparable mechanical recycling technology is already running in a safe and sustainable way in at least 30 locations in Europe, among others also in Germany, Switzerland, and France. Andrada is applying an innovative and even more advanced version of this technology.
Andrada will transparently cooperate with the municipality of Sóskút and the local authorities by focusing on production safety, environmental protection and the enrichment of local community living standard.
The company’s original plan was to start their first plant in Alsózsolca, but, in the meantime, found even better location in Sóskút in terms of required size and logistics. Andrada will stick to a multilocation plan in Hungary, including Alsózsolca region.
 

21 September 2023

Due to the following decision of Andrada:

"Andrada, a Hungarian company owned by Slovenian automotive entrepreneurs, decided to significantly upgrade its previous application for an environmental permit in response to the demands of the local community and other stakeholders in Hungary in order to avoid any doubts regarding the achieved highest level of both occupational and environmental protection.

After doing so, Andrada plans to set up high-tech recycling of Li-ion batteries and Li-ion waste from Hungarian gigafactories in Alsózsolca in northern Hungary, thus locally extracting key raw materials from waste for the production of new Li-ion batteries, making a significant contribution to the environmental sustainability of this production and wider electromobility. Details regarding both the technology itself and its business plans will be presented by Andrada after all permits have been received for its operation."

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21 August 2023

Transparency is a strong, fundamental principle of Slovenia based Andrada Group’s operations

It's entirely understandable that questions will arise regarding our new high-tech facility in Hungary, and we will address all of them as comprehensively as only possible to demonstrate highly advanced conditions, under which our operations will be run - similarly to the way that such facilities are currently operating in Switzerland and Germany. Andrada meanwhile has developed the technology, that is even more advanced, environmentally friendly, and safer than these existing facilities.

The Li-ion-battery recycling facility planned for Alsózsolca represents modern, safe and clean technology and adherence to Western standards

We will demonstrate:

- safe and motivating working places and working environment

- strict environmental standards on the level and above of Western Europe

- closed cycle technology.

- maximum transparency and a high level of collaboration with the local community and all relevant authorities.

- we are announcing open days to showcase the operations of our new technological center to the public.

A state-of-the-art, controlled, closed-cycle high-tech facility

Sustainability and environmental protection have motivated our technological research in recent years. We have established a secure and closed cycle industrial process, that exceeds even the stringent industrial and environmental standards of Western Europe.

Andrada’s new high-tech facility is situated in an already existing industrial park, with no direct or indirect negative effects on the environment.

Slovenian investors: the company is steered by internationally recognized experts in environmentally friendly and sustainable e-mobility

Operating based on the principles of Western European business philosophy, the company is committed to transparency and establishing strong connections with local communities. This is why we will hold open days and are inviting local residents to visit our facility. In the spirit of mutual trust and transparency, it will be our proud to showcase the world-class, advanced technology we work with at the facility.

Our leadership will consist of experienced Slovenian and local Hungarian professionals committed to sustainability and environmental protection, with decades of expertise. Research activities will be integrated into the facility's daily operations, including collaboration with experts from the University of Miskolc.

The highly technological nature of the facility is evidenced by its focus on hiring well-trained local professionals, engineers, and experts with specialized knowledge.

Interested individuals are invited to attend open days and tours on the following dates:

- September 26th – Starting at 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 3:00 PM, and 5:00 PM

Prior registration is required for participation.

If you are interested in employment opportunities or attending the open day, please contact us using the provided contact information.

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