Comau invests in cold plasma specialist Intecells
The existing development cooperation already made it clear that Italian automation specialist Comau was interested in Intecells’ cold plasma technology. Now, Comau has also acquired a stake in the company in a financing round. However, details of the transaction are not known, so it remains unclear how much the investment will be and what share Comau will hold in the future. Both sides have only stated that they will continue to work together on a solution for the use of cold plasma in battery cell production. According to those responsible, the current challenge is to integrate cold plasma technology into scalable manufacturing processes. If successful, the approach should improve cell performance while halving investment costs, CO2 emissions and energy consumption in production.
Following Comau’s investment, the new technology will be validated in collaboration with customers and integrated into existing cell production lines, according to the statement. The primary goal is to reduce cycle times and energy consumption in the impregnation and drying phases, whereby the solution eliminates the need for solvents and binders. In addition, the partners want to work on transferring the approach to the entire spectrum of battery types and sizes.
“This new initiative reflects our broader commitment to investing in innovation as a driver of sustainable growth,” says Pietro Gorlier, CEO of Comau. In dynamic industries such as electromobility and stationary energy storage, where companies are under pressure to optimise both product and production costs, it is crucial to combine technological excellence with operational agility. “Our work with Intecells demonstrates how we’re advancing smart, scalable solutions that can be integrated into new and existing battery cell lines. At the same time, it strengthens our footprint in the United States, supporting our ability to operate effectively on a global level while responding more rapidly to local market needs.”
“We are grateful to Comau for their support and belief in Intecells’ vision. This investment marks the beginning of a strong partnership that will help us expand faster, innovate further, and deliver greater value to our customers,” comments Xiaohong Gayden, founder and CEO of Intecells.
Comau recently unveiled a platform for small-batch cell formation. Despite Stellantis’ withdrawal from the company in January, Comau remains active in European battery projects such as BATTwin and the Reinforce recycling project.
This article was first published by Cora Werwitzke for electrive’s German edition
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