• KEZAD and Witthal sign landmark MoU at Automechanika Dubai 2024 to launch UAE’s first lithium battery recycling plant, marking a significant step in the country’s sustainability efforts
  • Operational by Q2 2027, the facility will recycle 5,000 tons of battery waste and cut 20,000 tons of emissions yearly
  • This project marks a groundbreaking step for the UAE's automotive industry, particularly in accelerating the growth of the electric vehicle (EV) sector

Dubai, UAE: In a milestone for sustainability and innovation in the UAE, KEZAD Group and Witthal Gulf Industries LLC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during Automechanika Dubai 2024 to establish the UAE’s first lithium battery recycling plant. The collaboration aims to establish a cutting-edge battery recycling facility that contributes to sustainable industrial practices while supporting the UAE's environmental objectives.

The facility, which is scheduled to commence full operations by Q2 2027, will have the capacity to recycle 5,000 tons of battery waste annually by 2027. Doing so will save an estimated 20,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year, reduce the need for energy-intensive mining, and create new opportunities for local employment and innovation.

This transformative project aligns with the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 goals and its Circular Economy Policy 2021-2031, underscoring the nation’s leadership in green industrial development.

The plant will support the EV ecosystem by fostering renewable energy storage, reducing the carbon footprint of battery manufacturing, and promoting sustainable practices through advanced carbon capture technologies and material recovery methods.

During a panel discussion at Automechanika Dubai’s Innovation4Mobility main feature, Sugumaran Devaraja, Advisor, Witthal Gulf Industries LLC, said: “At Witthal, we have a strong vision for the sustainable future of human mobility. We have over a decade of strong understanding of the future of trade – we are already involved in the battery trade segment and the supply materials that go into battery manufacturing. We wanted to find a gap where we could play our part that matched KEZAD’s automotive hub ambition.”

This project marks a groundbreaking step for the UAE's automotive industry, particularly in accelerating the growth of the electric vehicle (EV) sector. Establishing a fully operational lithium battery recycling plant lays the foundation for a robust EV ecosystem within KEZAD, but will also be a fundamental element of Whittal’s growth.

“We are poised for the next phase of growth as a company. We want to build technology and other ecosystems around the factory, so whether it's carbon capture or value-added manufacturing, we want to look at how we can embed ourselves as a foundation member of what KEZAD is looking to do,” added Devaraja.

Automechanika Dubai, the largest automotive aftermarket trade exhibition in the wider Middle East, provided the ideal platform for this announcement, emphasising the show’s role as a hub for groundbreaking partnerships and cutting-edge advancements in the automotive sector.

Automechanika Dubai 2024 concluded today, having welcomed 2,228 global exhibitors from more than 62 countries and an audience of industry leaders and professionals to showcase innovation, foster connections, and drive the future of mobility.

The latest Automechanika Dubai news stories are available on the ‘Press Releases’ page.

Photo caption, from L-R: Vijayendra, Director, Witthal International Pte Ltd; H.E. Raziff Aljunied, Consul General of the Republic of Singapore to the UAE; and Khalid Al Marzooqi, Vice President, International Business Development, KEZAD Group.

About Automechanika Dubai

Automechanika Dubai is the largest international automotive aftermarket trade exhibition in the wider Middle East taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre between 10-12 December 2024. Automechanika Dubai acts as the central trading link for markets that are difficult to reach, connecting the Middle East, Africa, Indian Subcontinent, Asia and key CIS countries.

For more information, please visit our website.

About Messe Frankfurt

The Messe Frankfurt Group is the world’s largest trade fair, congress and event organiser with its own exhibition grounds. With a workforce of some 2,300* people at its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main and in 28* subsidiaries, it organises events around the world. Group sales in financial year 2023 were more than € 600* million. We serve our customers’ business interests efficiently within the framework of our Fairs & Events, Locations and Services business fields. One of Messe Frankfurt’s key strengths is its powerful and closely knit global sales network, which covers around 180 countries in all regions of the world. Our comprehensive range of services – both onsite and online – ensures that customers worldwide enjoy consistently high quality and flexibility when planning, organising and running their events. We are using our digital expertise to develop new business models. The wide range of services includes renting exhibition grounds, trade fair construction and marketing, personnel and food services.

Sustainability is a central pillar of our corporate strategy. Here, we strike a healthy balance between ecological and economic interests, social responsibility and diversity.

For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com/sustainability

With its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, the company is owned by the City of Frankfurt (60 percent) and the State of Hesse (40 percent).

For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com

* Preliminary figures for 2023

About KEZAD Group

KEZAD Group is the UAE's largest provider and operator of fully integrated economic cities, free zones, value-added business services, staff accommodations, and industrial real estate solutions. KEZAD Group manages 12 economic zones strategically located across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and the Al Dhafra Region. These zones offer an exceptional ecosystem that integrates world-class transportation infrastructure with multimodal connectivity through road, ports, air, and national rail networks. Key benefits include 100% foreign ownership, full repatriation of capital and profits, opportunities for duty-free trade within the region, and advanced technology platforms that seamlessly connect port community systems with economic zones.

About Witthal Gulf Industries LLC

Witthal Gulf Industries LLC is part of the Witthal Group of Companies, headquartered in Singapore. As one of Singapore's fastest-growing independent commodity trading firms, Witthal operates across Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and South America. The company specialises trading Agri-commodities (natural rubber), minerals (lithium ore), and TBR tyres, while also owning commodity Rubber processing facilities in West Africa.

James Lakie
james.lakie@shamalcomms.com
Kate McGinley
kate.mcginley@uae.messefrankfurt.com
www.messefrankfurtme.com
www.automechanikadubai.com