Blue Whale Materials
Blue Whale Materials is a US-based lithium-ion battery recycling company that uses proprietary dry processing technology to convert end-of-life batteries and production scrap into Blacksand™, a high-purity cobalt-nickel-lithium intermediate for battery manufacturers, EV OEMs, and refiners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Blue Whale Materials does
Blue Whale Materials is a US-based lithium-ion battery recycling company that uses a proprietary dry processing technology — developed and validated at commercial scale in Asia before US deployment — to safely discharge, grind, and separate end-of-life consumer batteries, EV batteries, and gigafactory production scrap into Blacksand™, a high-concentration, low-impurity mixed-metal intermediate containing cobalt, nickel, and lithium that is optimized as input for hydrometallurgical refiners. The technology recovers up to 98% of cobalt and nickel and is positioned to supply a domestic, IRA-aligned critical-mineral feedstock stream for North American battery and EV supply chains.
The company's commercial footprint centers on a 50-acre, 150,000-square-foot Bartlesville, Oklahoma campus that houses a baseline black-mass production line commissioned in August 2025 at 14,000 tonnes/year, with a funded expansion path to 50,000 tonnes/year. Through wholly-owned subsidiary BW Energy & Innovation (BWE&I) — formed around the May 2023 acquisition of Eclipse Energy — BWM also operates an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited battery testing and evaluation laboratory in Greenfield, Indiana with 700+ test channels spanning performance, abuse, thermal, and end-of-life grading services across Li-ion, lead-acid, NiZn, and Na+ chemistries. The corporate entity is Blue Whale Materials LLC, headquartered in Washington, DC, and operates as a private company majority-backed by industrial decarbonization-focused private equity firm Ara Partners.
Revenue is generated through three streams: per-tonne processing fees for feedstock recycling, wholesale Blacksand™ sales to refiners and cathode material manufacturers, and professional services revenue from BWE&I testing engagements. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. GTM is enterprise-direct, supplemented by strategic feedstock and channel partnerships (notably Call2Recycle for nationwide battery collection, Photon Automation for satellite testing, and Bebob USA for closed-loop service), with thought leadership at industry conferences and recognition in TIME/Statista's America's Top GreenTech Companies 2024 (Circular Economy). Capital base totals roughly $135M from the May 2022 Ara Partners $80M equity commitment and the January 2025 $55M DOE grant under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, with plans for 5+ recycling plants across the US and Europe.
Blue Whale Materials firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Blue Whale Materials
- Legal name
- Blue Whale Materials LLC
- Website
- https://bluewhalematerials.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Blue Whale Materials is a US-based lithium-ion battery recycling company that uses proprietary dry processing technology to convert end-of-life batteries and production scrap into Blacksand™, a high-purity cobalt-nickel-lithium intermediate for battery manufacturers, EV OEMs, and refiners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Blue Whale Materials industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Battery Recycling Services
- NAICS
- Battery Manufacturing (33591)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Battery Materials Refining & Re-Manufacturing Feedstocks (Li, Ni, Co, Mn, Graphite Salts) (EUAIAIAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Hydrometallurgical Recycling & Refining (Leaching, Solvent Extraction, Precipitation) (EUAFACAD), Battery Scrap & Recycling Feedstock (Lead-Acid, Li-ion Black Mass Feedstock, NiMH) (IMAKAMAH)
Keywords
Where Blue Whale Materials is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Blue Whale Materials business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Battery Recycling Processing Fees: Blue Whale Materials charges fees for processing and recycling spent lithium-ion batteries and production scrap. Feedstock is sourced from collection partners and manufacturers, and the output — Blacksand™ — is sold to refiners and battery material manufacturers.
- Blacksand™ Product Sales: Blue Whale Materials sells its Blacksand™ product — a premium, dry, mixed-metal intermediate containing cobalt, nickel, and lithium — to refiners, cathode material manufacturers, and battery producers for use in new battery cells.
- Battery Testing & Evaluation Services (BWE&I): Through its BW Energy & Innovation subsidiary, Blue Whale Materials generates revenue from battery testing and evaluation services including performance testing, abuse testing, thermal cycling, aging analysis, certifications, and consulting for manufacturers across multiple battery chemistries.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Blue Whale Materials product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Blue Whale Materials operates a U.S. commercial-scale lithium-ion battery recycling facility in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, using proprietary dry processing technology to safely discharge and separate end-of-life batteries and production scrap into Blacksand™ — a high-purity, low-impurity mixed-metal intermediate containing cobalt, nickel, and lithium optimized for hydrometallurgical refiners and cathode manufacturers. Through its BW Energy & Innovation subsidiary, the company also provides ISO/IEC 17025-accredited battery testing, evaluation, and consulting services across Li-ion, lead acid, NiZn, and Na+ chemistries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Blacksand: Proprietary dry mixed-metal product containing cobalt, nickel, and lithium recovered from lithium-ion batteries, optimized for hydrometallurgical refining
- BW Energy and Innovation (BWE&I)
Products and services
- Blacksand™ Mixed-Metal Intermediate Blacksand™ is Blue Whale Materials' premium, dry, mixed-metal intermediate product containing cobalt, nickel, and lithium with low copper, aluminum, and organic impurities. It recovers up to 98% of cobalt and nickel from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries and production scrap and is specifically optimized as input feedstock for hydrometallurgical refiners, cathode material manufacturers, and battery producers.
- BW Energy & Innovation (BWE&I) Battery Testing & Evaluation Services BWE&I provides independent battery testing, evaluation, and consulting services to manufacturers, automotive OEMs, and industrial clients. Services include performance testing, thermal cycling, aging analysis, abuse testing, safety certification, and validation planning across Li-ion, lead acid, NiZn, and Na+ chemistries for cells, modules, and packs. The lab operates more than 700 programmable test channels with capacity up to 420V and 2,000A, thermal control from -70°C to 340°C, and is ISO/IEC 17025 accredited.
- Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Processing Service Battery recycling processing service that safely discharges lithium-ion batteries — from end-of-life consumer to EV batteries and production scrap — and reclaims critical minerals using proprietary dry processing technology, with collection and logistics coordinated through strategic partners such as Call2Recycle. Service is offered to end-of-life battery generators, manufacturers, and industrial clients seeking compliant, traceable recycling.
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 98% recovery rate of cobalt and nickel from lithium-ion batteries and production scrap
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Blue Whale Materials
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Blue Whale Materials technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Blue Whale Materials partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP)minorBlue Whale Materials co-chaired (with Call2Recycle) the development of a guidance document on EV Battery Safe Handling and Storage, developed by the Responsible Battery Work Group. Contributors included major automotive OEMs (GM, Honda, Stellantis, Toyota) and battery value chain companies including Cellblock FCS, Cirba Solutions, Li-Cycle, and ORBIS.
- Call2RecyclecoreBlue Whale Materials entered a strategic partnership with Call2Recycle, North America's leading battery stewardship organization with over 30 years of experience. Under the partnership, Blue Whale Materials' Bartlesville facility processes batteries collected through Call2Recycle's nationwide network. The partnership secures a consistent feedstock of spent lithium-ion batteries and represents a pivotal step in enhancing North America's battery recycling efforts.
- The Delaware Tribe of IndiansminorWorkforce development and community outreach partner under the DOE grant, receiving approximately $3M combined with other local partners (Blue Star Recyclers, Tri County Tech, James Emmett and Company) for workforce training and community programs in Bartlesville, OK.
- Blue Star RecyclersminorWorkforce development and community outreach partner under the DOE grant, part of the approximately $3M allocated for workforce training and community outreach alongside The Delaware Tribe of Indians, Tri County Tech, and James Emmett and Company.
- Tri County TechminorWorkforce development and community outreach partner under the DOE grant, contributing to the approximately $3M workforce development initiative alongside The Delaware Tribe of Indians, Blue Star Recyclers, and James Emmett and Company.
- James Emmett and CompanyminorWorkforce development and community outreach partner under the DOE grant, contributing to the approximately $3M workforce development initiative alongside The Delaware Tribe of Indians, Blue Star Recyclers, and Tri County Tech.
- BebobminorBW Energy & Innovation was named bebob's service partner for North America. BWE&I provides battery system diagnostics, repairs, and re-celling services for bebob's batteries across the U.S. Depleted batteries from the bebob service operation are directed to Blue Whale Materials for recycling.
- National Forest FoundationminorBlue Whale Materials joined the National Forest Foundation's Sapling Program, pledging to plant one tree in a U.S. National Forest for every metric ton of lithium-ion batteries recycled. With initial capacity of 14,000 MT/year, this translates to up to 14,000 trees annually.
- Photon AutomationcoreBWE&I established a satellite testing lab at Photon Automation's facility in Greenfield, IN, enabling end-of-line testing capabilities for Photon's battery manufacturing clients. The partnership combines Photon's automated assembly and laser welding capabilities with BWE&I's battery testing and evaluation services, providing a streamlined experience from prototype manufacturing to fully characterized battery packs.
- Eclipse EnergycoreBlue Whale Materials acquired Eclipse Energy, a battery testing and evaluation lab based in Greenfield, IN, in May 2023. Eclipse brought 12 years of experience and over 100 years of accumulated battery engineering expertise. Its founders (Dave Roberts, Michael Galyen, Ben Wrightsman) serve as advisors to the new subsidiary BW Energy & Innovation.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Blue Whale Materials competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Li-Cycle: North American Li-ion battery recycler producing black mass from end-of-life batteries and gigafactory scrap, with hydrometallurgical refining downstream. Most directly comparable in business model and target customers to BWM.
- Redwood Materials: Well-funded U.S. Li-ion battery recycler founded by former Tesla CTO JB Straubel, serving Panasonic/Tesla and other EV OEMs. Comparable in target customers (EV OEMs, gigafactories) and North American critical-minerals supply-chain thesis.
- Cirba Solutions: U.S. battery materials management and recycling company with both transportation and stationary Li-ion processing capabilities. Competes directly for OEM/manufacturer feedstock and offtake relationships.
- Ascend Elements: U.S.-based hydrometallurgical Li-ion recycler producing battery-grade cathode precursor directly from black mass. Competes for the same feedstock stream and downstream cathode-customer relationships.
Broad incumbents
- SungEel HiTech: Korean Li-ion battery recycler and one of the largest in Asia, processing end-of-life batteries and manufacturing scrap into black mass. Relevant given BWM CTO's Korean background and the Asian reference benchmark for processing economics.
- Umicore: Global materials technology and recycling group with significant battery materials and precious metals refining operations in Europe. Provides a benchmark for downstream refining economics and represents a potential strategic acquirer or partner.
- GEM Co. Chinese battery recycling leader and one of the largest players globally, with integrated collection, processing, and refining. Sets the cost benchmark for the industry and a key competitor for any international expansion.
- Glencore: Major global miner, trader, and recycler of cobalt and nickel with growing battery recycling initiatives. Relevant as a potential offtake partner, downstream refiner, or strategic competitor in the critical-minerals supply chain.
Emerging players
- Element Energy: U.S. Li-ion battery recycling startup focused on battery analytics and materials recovery. Comparable emerging player in the U.S. domestic critical-minerals space targeting similar OEM/cathode customers.
- Princeton NuEnergy: U.S. startup developing direct cathode-to-cathode recycling technology. Adjacent emerging player pursuing a different technical approach to the same end-market (Li-ion critical mineral recovery) as BWM.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Blue Whale Materials social profiles
Digital presenceBlue Whale Materials financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Blue Whale Materials leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Blue Whale Materials subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Blue Whale Materials funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Blue Whale Materials M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Blue Whale Materials
What does Blue Whale Materials do?
Blue Whale Materials operates a U.S. commercial-scale lithium-ion battery recycling facility in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, using proprietary dry processing technology to safely discharge and separate end-of-life batteries and production scrap into Blacksand™ — a high-purity, low-impurity mixed-metal intermediate containing cobalt, nickel, and lithium optimized for hydrometallurgical refiners and cathode manufacturers. Through its BW Energy & Innovation subsidiary, the company also provides ISO/IEC 17025-accredited battery testing, evaluation, and consulting services across Li-ion, lead acid, NiZn, and Na+ chemistries.
Is Blue Whale Materials a public or private company?
Blue Whale Materials is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Blue Whale Materials founded?
Blue Whale Materials was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Blue Whale Materials based?
Blue Whale Materials is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does Blue Whale Materials make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Battery Recycling Processing Fees are the primary driver. The others are blacksand™ Product Sales and battery Testing & Evaluation Services (BWE&I).
Who are Blue Whale Materials's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Li-Cycle, Redwood Materials, Cirba Solutions and Ascend Elements. Broad incumbents are SungEel HiTech, Umicore, GEM Co. and Glencore. Emerging players are Element Energy and Princeton NuEnergy.
Does Blue Whale Materials have an API?
No public API is recorded for Blue Whale Materials.
What industry is Blue Whale Materials in?
Blue Whale Materials's product category is Battery Recycling Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAIAIAJ, Battery Materials Refining & Re-Manufacturing Feedstocks (Li, Ni, Co, Mn, Graphite Salts), with a secondary code of EUAFACAD, Hydrometallurgical Recycling & Refining (Leaching, Solvent Extraction, Precipitation). Its NAICS code is 33591.