Aachen, April 24, 2025 – The Aachen-based company for sustainable battery recycling, cylib, is strengthening its leadership team with two distinguished experts from the battery industry. This step represents a significant milestone on the path to industrial scaling at the Dormagen site.

At CHEMPARK Dormagen, cylib will process up to 10,000 tons of black mass annually in the future. This corresponds to up to 30,000 tons of end-of-life batteries from electric vehicles. By recovering strategically critical raw materials such as lithium, graphite, nickel, cobalt, and manganese, cylib enables a true circular economy for lithium-ion batteries and makes a decisive contribution to the resilience of European industry and the secure supply of sustainably sourced raw materials: resource-efficient, climate-friendly, and in Europe for Europe.

Industry expertise with impact: cylib takes industrial scaling to the next level

For the upcoming ramp-up, cylib has brought on board two leading industry figures, paving the way for the next growth phase.

• Dr. Tobias Elwert will join cylib GmbH as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) on May 1, 2025. As one of the founding fathers of European battery recycling, he brings extensive leadership experience from positions at Aurubis AG, BASF SE, and Duesenfeld GmbH. He is one of the leading experts in hydrometallurgy and mechanical processing. At cylib, he will oversee technological development, support its implementation on an industrial scale, and, together with CEO Dr. Lilian Schwich, drive innovation in the technology sector. The appointment of Dr. Tobias Elwert as CTO is a significant gain for cylib, as his expertise will play a key role in advancing technological scaling.

• Dr. Julian Englberger assumed the role of Vice President Operations at cylib GmbH on April 1, 2025. Previously, he served as Head of Operations Management at PowerCo SE and as a Principal with a focus on operations at Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In these roles, he gained extensive experience in executing large-scale industrial projects, planning and managing production systems, and achieving operational excellence. At cylib GmbH, he will be responsible for industrial scaling, supply chain management, and IT & digitalization. The appointment of Dr. Julian Englberger as Vice President Operations further strengthens cylib. His expertise will play a pivotal role in shaping the industrial development at Dormagen.

Strategic agility during the scaling phase ‍

Paul Sabarny, Co-Founder of cylib GmbH, will take on the role of Chief of Special Operations. In this position, he will oversee high-priority strategic projects. This newly created role enables growth initiatives to be implemented quickly and effectively.

As a co-developer of cylib’s technology and with years of experience in technological leadership, Sabarny brings the necessary combination of expertise and foresight for forward-looking decisions. He remains part of the leadership team and contributes to ensuring cylib’s technological agility at an industrial scale while maintaining innovation momentum during the scaling phase. This ensures that cylib continues to drive innovation and maintain strategic focus in the technical domain during this critical period.

Reflecting on his new role, Sabarny highlights the opportunities it presents to further advance cylib’s mission: “This role combines what matters most to me: technical depth, speed, and strategic impact. Innovative industry leaders rely on such roles to scale effectively while staying at the forefront of technological developments.”

Dr. Tobias Elwert, the new Chief Technology Officer, will play a key role in advancing cylib’s technology: “The continuous development and industrial implementation of cylib’s technology is an exciting task. I look forward to working with a strong team to significantly advance Europe’s sustainable battery circular economy.”

As part of this structural evolution, the management team will also be reorganized: Starting on May 1, 2025, Dr. Lilian Schwich and Dr. Gideon Schwich will jointly assume overall responsibility for the company as Co-CEOs.

For Dr. Lilian Schwich, the new leadership structure is a crucial step in successfully realizing cylib’s vision: “Our top priority is excellence across all areas of the company: technological, operational, and structural. Only when everything works seamlessly together can we turn our vision of holistic battery recycling at an industrial scale into reality.”

CHEMPARK Dormagen: A pioneering location

With its facility at CHEMPARK Dormagen, cylib aims to establish an industrial circular economy for lithium-ion batteries in Europe. The facility will enable the resource-efficient recovery of valuable materials such as lithium, graphite, nickel, cobalt, and manganese from battery packs, black mass, or production scrap. In doing so, cylib actively contributes to strengthening European supply chains and ensuring the secure supply of sustainably sourced raw materials.

About cylib

cylib is a company dedicated to holistic and sustainable battery recycling. Its end-to-end process, developed through years of research at RWTH Aachen University, is characterized by the efficient, resource- and climate-friendly recovery of valuable raw materials such as lithium, graphite, nickel, cobalt, and manganese from battery packs, black mass, or production scrap. By reintroducing sustainably sourced raw materials, cylib enables a true circular economy and resilient European supply chains. The company was founded in 2022 in Aachen by Dr. Lilian Schwich, Paul Sabarny, and Dr. Gideon Schwich and employs over 100 people.

Press Contact

cylib GmbH
Rebekka Müller
Head of Public Relations
Phone: +49 (0) 241 9457360
Email: pr@cylib.de

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