Panasonic Energy and Sumitomo Metal Mining to Collaborate in Recycling of Nickel for Lithium-Ion Batteries, Advancing Closed-Loop Circular Economy Initiatives

March 31, 2025, Panasonic Group Company, today announced the launch of a recycling initiative for nickel used in lithium-ion battery cathode materials, in collaboration with Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd., a leading Japanese non-ferrous metal smelting and refining, and cathode material manufacturer. This marks the first closed-loop recycling initiative—where end-of-life products are reprocessed into raw materials and reused in the same type of product— in the production of automotive batteries by Panasonic Energy. Following the ongoing partnership cemented with Redwood Materials Inc. in the United States in 2022, this collaboration represents a key milestone in the acceleration of recycling efforts in Japan.