Livium (ASX: LIT) Locks In Multi-Year Partnership with World’s Leading Battery Maker CATL

Key Highlights

• Livium (ASX: LIT) signs a multi-year battery recycling framework agreement with CATL, the world’s largest lithium-ion battery manufacturer

• Agreement runs through to 15 May 2029 and formalises an existing working relationship

• Livium’s Envirostream unit to provide battery collection, logistics, recycling and black mass processing services

• Partnership covers Australia with potential expansion into New Zealand

• Shares rose 11.1% to 1 cent in morning trade on Tuesday

Australia’s battery recycling sector received a boost on Tuesday after Livium (ASX: LIT) announced a new multi-year framework agreement with a subsidiary of Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL), the world’s largest lithium-ion battery manufacturer.

The deal formalises an existing relationship between Livium’s wholly owned recycling business, Envirostream, and CATL Hong Kong, moving the companies from an ad hoc purchase-order arrangement to a structured framework running through to May 2029.

Shares in Livium climbed 11.1% to 1 cent in morning trade, giving the company a market value of approximately $20.6 million.

Source: MarketIndex 

The agreement arrives as global electric vehicle adoption and large-scale energy storage deployments continue to drive a growing wave of end-of-life batteries requiring specialised recycling solutions.

A deal focused on the next phase of the battery boom

While much of the market’s attention remains fixed on lithium mining and battery manufacturing, another industry is quietly expanding behind the scenes.

Every electric vehicle battery eventually reaches the end of its useful life. Recovering valuable materials from those batteries has become an increasingly important part of the clean energy supply chain.

Under the agreement, Envirostream will provide battery collection, transportation, dismantling, recycling, black mass processing, certification and destruction reporting services across Australia, with potential expansion into New Zealand.

Black mass, the material produced after batteries are processed, contains valuable metals that can potentially be reintroduced into future battery production, helping create a more circular supply chain.

Livium said the partnership positions the company to support CATL’s regional battery recycling requirements as volumes increase across Australasia.

Why CATL matters

CATL occupies a central role in the global battery industry.

The Chinese company supplies lithium-ion batteries to major electric vehicle manufacturers and energy storage providers worldwide and is widely regarded as the dominant player in the sector. According to Livium, CATL remains the world’s leading lithium-ion battery manufacturer.

For a company of Livium’s size, securing a long-term framework agreement with a global industry leader carries significance beyond immediate revenue opportunities.

It provides validation of Envirostream’s operational capabilities and strengthens Livium’s credentials as a downstream recycling partner within the broader battery ecosystem.

Livium Managing Director and CEO Simon Linge said the agreement reflected confidence in the company’s recycling expertise.

“Formalising our relationship with CATL is an important milestone for Livium. CATL is the global leader in lithium-ion battery manufacturing, and this Agreement reflects their confidence in Envirostream’s recycling capabilities and operational standards.”

Building Australia’s circular battery economy

The announcement also highlights a broader shift taking place across global energy markets.

Governments and manufacturers are increasingly focusing not only on battery production but also on how batteries are collected, recycled and reprocessed at the end of their lifecycle.

Livium describes itself as Australia’s leading battery recycler through Envirostream and has been expanding into adjacent areas including rare earth recycling, solar panel recycling and black mass processing.

The agreement does not include minimum volume commitments and remains non-exclusive, with pricing and work scopes to be determined through individual purchase orders.

Even so, the partnership provides a platform for future collaboration as electric vehicle fleets mature and battery retirement volumes rise across the region.

For Livium, the story is less about a single contract and more about positioning itself within a growing industry expected to become increasingly important as the global energy transition advances.

As millions of batteries move through their lifecycle over the coming decade, companies involved in recovering and reusing critical materials may find themselves occupying a more strategic place in the clean energy supply chain than many expected just a few years ago.