One of MENA’s largest recycling facilities is being developed at an investment of US$ 29.95mn
Dubatt Battery Recycling, a joint venture between the Regency Group and the Seashore Group, recently broke ground on a 70,000sqft, first-of-its-kind, fully integrated lead acid battery (LAB) recycling plant at Dubai Industrial City (DIC).
Spread over a land area of 154,000sqft and being developed at an investment of AED 110mn (US$ 29.95mn), the state-of-the-art facility will contribute to the UAE Circular Economy Policy and Sustainability Goals by transforming used batteries into lead ingots and plastic chips for reuse by battery manufacturers.
Unveiling the details of Dubatt at a press conference, promoters said the plant is scheduled to be fully operational by January 2023. Earlier in the day, the groundbreaking ceremony attended by Saud Abu Al Shawareb, Managing Director, Dubai Industrial City, was held in the presence of delegates from various government officials and VIPs.
The guests of honor at the ceremony included Eng. Abdul Majeed Abdul Azeez Saifaie, Director, Waste Management Department, Dubai Municipality, and Abdullah Al Mahri, Director, Investments and Stakeholder Management, Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology.
Clean Future
“As the region’s leading industrial hub, it is part of our purview to complement these efforts and support our leadership’s vision for a clean future by providing enabling infrastructure and framework that supports the reclamation of hazardous materials like lead and plastic into reusable products,” commented Saud Abu Al Shawareb.
“Dubatt is an inspirational investment from the UAE Circular Economy Policy and Sustainability Goals. Upon completion, we will act as an organized recycler and waste management facility for ULA batteries thereby promoting reduction of carbon footprint and climate change,” noted Shamsudheen Binmohideen, Chairman, Regency Group.
The press conference was also addressed by Ali Ibrahim, Deputy Director General of Dubai Economy, Eng. Saeed Alawadi, CEO, Dubai Industries and Exports and Giacomo Civettilo, Founder and Director for SERI Group, Italy.
Production capacities
The Dubatt Plant will start with a 10 ton/hour battery breaker, 4 cubic meter smelter and 4 refinery kettles. Initial capacity is to recycle up to 25,000 metric tonnes of ULABS (Used lead acid batteries) annually and produce 14,000 tonnes of lead ingots and 1,750 tonnes of plastic chips which will be sold to battery manufacturers, medical, fishing, and other industrial sectors. This accounts for recycling around 35% of the lead acid battery scrap generated in the UAE.
The plant machinery and technology are provided by FIB SPA, part of SERI Group Italy who are the pioneers in battery recycling technology with expertise in setting up numerous plants across the world.
Environmental concern
“A study we undertook found that the UAE produces approximately 6,000 metric tons of batteries per month and globally battery scraps are not processed in an environment friendly manner, ´ remarked Hasique Pandikadavath, Director, Dubatt.
He observed that globally unorganized battery processors break open ULABS, take the lead plates and grids manually, smelt them in rudimentary ovens and make lead ingots.
“We aim to enhance the efficient repurposing of batteries by sourcing it from the market, collaborating with major battery traders, scrap traders, car dealerships, garages, and government authorities. We also solicit the support of all relevant stakeholders, the media and the public in contributing to this Green Clean Initiative,” added Pandikadavath.
Future Plan – ‘Made in UAE’ batteries
“We are planning to double our recycling capacity within a year from our commercial production and our plant is constructed with this provision to expand. Our future plan is to set up a lead acid battery production plant in the next two years as part of our vertical integration and expansion. We intend to produce a `Made in UAE’ brand of batteries soon,” stated Binmohideen.
The Group is also looking at a technology partnership with FAAM Italy, a division of SERI Group Italy, for manufacturing new advanced lithium-ion batteries to power electric vehicles and other applications. Dubatt’s technology partner is SERI SRL who are the pioneers in battery recycling and lithium-ion battery manufacturing.
The Regency Group is a UAE based holding company established in 1994, that owns a diverse portfolio of businesses across retail, hospitality, healthcare, media, general trading, education, mining & manufacturing.
The group has established a global presence and are further expanding its reach. The most visible outpost of Regency Group is Grand Hypermarkets, with 86 outlets across the GCC and India. The Seashore group, established in 1989, is one of the largest multifaceted business houses with operations in the UAE and Qatar. Seashore group consists of 15 business divisions across manufacturing, recycling, waste management, engineering, construction, trading, and stevedoring.
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