Battery recycler to invest $300M in Richland County processing plant

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A battery recycling company will invest $300 milllion to build a processing plant in Richland County.

Cirba Solutions, headquartered in Charlotte, will build the first phase of a lithium-ion battery recycling and reprocessing facility in the Pineview Industrial Park, a move that will create more than 300 jobs, according to a news release.

The company hopes to make those hires within five years as it develops what will eventually become its flagship facility on more than 200 acres in the industrial park off Shop Road in the Lower Richland area, the release said.

Richland County Council on March 21 gave final approval on a 40-year fee-in-lieu-of-tax agreement with the company.

“We’re proud to welcome yet another successful business to Pineview Industrial Park,” said Council Chairman Overture Walker. “We’re grateful that Cirba Solutions, an industry leader that promotes solutions for a sustainable economy, is investing in our community.”

The focus of the new facility will be processing hybrid and electric vehicle batteries, gigafactory scrap and end-of-life consumer batteries and redistributing them into the supply chain, according to the release.

Cirba Solutions operates six facilities in North America. The company aims to begin operations in Richland County by the end of 2023 and expand in phases through 2027 until the company has an operational footprint of more than 400,000 square feet.

People interested in working with Cirba can apply online.