Leclanché

What Leclanché does

Leclanché SA is a Swiss-headquartered (Yverdon-les-Bains) lithium-ion battery manufacturer, founded in 1909 and listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ticker: LECN), that designs, develops, and manufactures complete battery storage solutions spanning cells, modules, battery management systems (BMS), packs, and energy management software (EMS). The company operates three business units — Stationary Solutions (utilities, commercial & industrial, microgrid, renewable + storage, e-fast charging), E-Mobility (e-Rail, e-Marine, e-Commercial Vehicles), and Specialty Battery Systems (portable, robotics & AGV, military/defence, medical, tools) — and serves enterprise customers such as Damen Shipyards, Stena Line, Brittany Ferries, Yara (Birkeland), Alstom, Grimaldi, Romande Energie, CGN, and the government of St. Kitts and Nevis. Its core technology is G/NMC (graphite/Nickel Manganese Cobalt) lithium-ion chemistry produced via a proprietary water-based binder (WBB) process that is PFAS-free, combined with multi-level safety architecture (laminated ceramic separators, IP65 enclosures, integrated cooling and fire suppression) and proprietary BMS/EMS. Flagship products include the Navius MRS-3 Marine Rack System (type-approved by RINA, DNV-GL, Lloyd's Register, and Bureau Veritas, in serial production since June 2025) and the LeBlock stationary interlinking storage system.

The company monetizes primarily through project-based hardware sales of custom-engineered battery systems (cells through complete integrated solutions), supplemented by a Build-Own-Operate (BOO) business line for selected stationary projects with long-term power purchase agreements, and standalone EMS/BMS licensing. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales targeting utilities, grid operators, maritime and rail operators, and industrial fleet customers, supported by manufacturing operations in Willstätt, Germany and offices in the USA, Norway, France, and the UK. As of late 2025 / early 2026, Leclanché is pursuing non-dilutive growth capital via the EU Innovation Fund (€852M program; Leclanché project start January 2026) and a €74.2M CINEA grant (financing deadline extended to June 2027) to scale water-based PFAS-free cell production at Willstätt, while also navigating financial stress signals including a delayed 2025 annual report, suspended SIX trading, a November 2025 module assembly incident, and a CHF 10M debt-to-equity conversion by majority shareholder SEF-LUX.

Name

Leclanché

Legal name

Leclanché SA

Website

https://leclanche.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1909

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Leclanché SA is a Swiss-listed (SIX: LECN) lithium-ion battery manufacturer that designs, develops, and supplies custom-engineered energy storage systems for utilities, maritime and rail operators (e.g., Damen, Stena Line, Alstom, Yara), and specialty applications, spanning cells to energy management software with proprietary water-based PFAS-free cell technology.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Battery Energy Storage Systems

NAICS

Battery Manufacturing (33591), Battery Manufacturing (335910)

SIC

Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Battery Pack Manufacturing & Module Assembly (EUAFABAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Battery Cells (Li-ion, LFP, Sodium-ion, Lead-acid, NiMH) (IMAGAHAA), Battery Management Systems (BMS) & Battery Electronics (IMAGAHAC), Battery Modules & Packs (Industrial/Commercial pack assembly) (IMAGAHAB), Battery Cell Manufacturing (EV) (IMACACAB)

Keywords

• Lithium-ion battery storage
• Stationary energy storage
• Marine battery systems
• Rail electrification batteries
• Battery management systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Yverdon-les-bains

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Battery System Sales (Stationary, e-Transport, Specialty): Sale of complete battery storage solutions including cells, modules, packs, and integrated systems for stationary energy storage, e-mobility (trains, vessels, trucks), and specialty applications (medical, military, robotics). Revenue is project-based and recurring as customers require system replacements and expansions.
2. Build-Own-Operate (BOO) Projects: A separate business line has been established for selected Stationary Solutions projects with long-term power purchase agreement and/or offtake agreement with local customers. This represents a project financing model where Leclanché owns and operates the assets.
3. Energy Management Software & BMS: Sale or licensing of proprietary Energy Management Software (EMS) and Battery Management Systems (BMS) as standalone products or integrated within battery systems.
4. Government Grants (CINEA): Leclanché has secured a €74.2 million grant agreement from CINEA (European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency) to support sustainable battery cell manufacturing in Europe. This represents non-dilutive funding supporting the company's gigafactory expansion.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Leclanché designs, develops, and manufactures customized lithium-ion battery energy storage solutions covering the full technology chain from cells and modules to integrated packs and complete systems. It serves three business units: Stationary Solutions (grid storage, microgrids, renewable + storage, e-fast charging), E-Mobility (e-Rail, e-Marine, e-Commercial Vehicles) including the type-approved Navius MRS-3 marine rack system, and Specialty Battery Systems (portable, robotics, military, medical). Proprietary Battery Management Systems (BMS) and Energy Management Software (EMS) are integrated with in-house cell production featuring water-based binder (WBB) PFAS-free manufacturing.

Product overview

Leclanche is a world-leading provider of high-quality lithium-ion energy storage solutions organized into three business units: Stationary Solutions (utilities, commercial/industrial, microgrid, renewable+storage, e-fast charging), e-Transport Solutions (e-Rail, e-Marine, e-Commercial Vehicles), and Specialty Battery Systems (portable, robotics, military/defence, medical, tools). The company's core technology portfolio spans the full value chain from proprietary cells with laminated ceramic separators and reduced electrolyte design, through Modules with integrated BMS and cooling systems, to complete Packs for various applications. The flagship marine product is the Navius MRS-3 (type-approved by RINA, DNV-GL, Lloyd's Register, and Bureau Veritas) featuring liquid cooling and fire suppression systems. The Energy Management Software (EMS) enables multi-application management of grid-connected BESS with integration flexibility for multiple battery/inverter combinations. LeBlock offers interlinking battery storage units for reduced complexity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Navius MRS-3: State-of-the-art battery storage system for marine applications with RINA and DNV-GL type approval, scalable in size, capacity and rated voltage, fitted with liquid-cooling.
• LeBlock

Products and services

• Cells In-house manufactured lithium-ion cells based on G/NMC (Graphite/Nickel Manganese Cobalt) chemistry, designed with laminated ceramic separators and reduced electrolyte design for enhanced safety. Used as the foundational component for all Leclanché energy storage systems and also offered to specification as part of custom solutions.
• Modules / Battery Management Systems Modules integrate Leclanché cells with proprietary BMS and switch boxes into self-contained energy storage units, available with air or water cooling for trains, buses, vessels, industrial, and grid applications.
• Battery Management Systems (BMS) Proprietary in-house developed BMS technology providing multi-level safety on cell, module and system level, certified against mechanical, thermal and electrical abuse. Integrated into Leclanché battery systems.
• Battery Packs Custom-adapted battery packs built to operate faultlessly across environmental conditions required for trains, buses, vessels, electric vehicles, industrial and grid/microgrid applications, including thermal management and integrated BMS.
• Navius MRS-3 Marine Rack System

Quantifiable outcome

• World's most powerful electric ferry powered by Leclanché battery systems
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor, strategic and core.

• Pinnacle International Venture Capital LimitedminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 November 2025Strategic partnership between Leclanché and Pinnacle International Venture Capital Limited has ended (agreements concluded as of November 2025).
• Century Ship ServicesstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 October 2025Partnership to supply 4 MWh of battery systems for a hybrid ocean cruise vessel, meeting surging demand for zero-emissions marine solutions.
• Lloyd's RegistercoreTechnology or Integration · 16 June 2025Lloyd's Register certified that Leclanché's Navius MRS-3 Marine Rack System meets the industry's highest safety and performance benchmarks through type approval certification.
• Bureau VeritascoreTechnology or Integration · 16 June 2025Bureau Veritas certified that Leclanché's Navius MRS-3 Marine Rack System meets the industry's highest safety and performance benchmarks through type approval certification.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Saft (TotalEnergies): Saft is a French battery manufacturer owned by TotalEnergies that designs and produces advanced battery systems for industrial, transportation, and grid storage applications. It is one of Leclanché's closest direct peers, competing in rail, marine, and stationary storage with similar lithium-ion technology and full-stack capabilities.
• Corvus Energy: Corvus Energy is a Canadian-Norwegian specialist in marine battery energy storage systems, supplying hybrid and fully electric ferries, offshore vessels, and cruise ships. It directly competes with Leclanché's Navius MRS-3 in maritime electrification, sharing class-society-certified product positioning.
• Fluence Energy: Fluence is a publicly listed global provider of utility-scale battery energy storage systems and software, founded by Siemens and AES. It competes directly with Leclanché's stationary solutions business in grid-connected BESS for utilities, renewable integration, and microgrids.
• Akasol (BorgWarner): Akasol, now part of BorgWarner, supplies high-performance lithium-ion battery systems for commercial vehicles, buses, rail, and industrial applications. It directly competes with Leclanché's e-Transport Solutions business, especially in e-Rail and e-Commercial Vehicles.

Emerging players

• FREYR Battery: FREYR Battery is a Norway-based developer of lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing focused on the European market with a sustainability angle. It is comparable to Leclanché as a European-domiciled battery manufacturer pursuing scale cell production and stationary storage markets.
• Northvolt: Northvolt is a Swedish battery cell manufacturer building gigafactories in Europe for EVs and stationary storage. Although primarily EV-focused, it overlaps with Leclanché's in-house cell manufacturing capability and competes for European battery demand.
• Microvast: Microvast is a US-listed vertically integrated lithium-ion battery manufacturer focused on commercial vehicles, specialty vehicles, and energy storage. It is comparable to Leclanché in offering full-stack cells-to-systems solutions for niche industrial and mobility use cases.

Broad incumbents

• EnerSys: EnerSys is a US-listed global leader in stored energy solutions for industrial, motive power, and specialty applications including defense and medical. It overlaps with Leclanché's specialty battery systems business and provides a broader incumbent benchmark.
• Tesla Energy (Megapack): Tesla's Megapack business is a global leader in utility-scale battery storage, with vertically integrated cell production and integrated software. It serves as a broad incumbent competitor to Leclanché's stationary solutions and represents the scale benchmark in BESS.
• Wärtsilä Energy Storage (Wärtsilä): Wärtsilä offers grid-scale energy storage and marine battery/hybrid solutions as part of its broader portfolio of marine and energy technologies. It is a comparable broad incumbent, with overlapping presence in both Leclanché's stationary storage and marine segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/leclanche_sa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/leclanch-sa

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Leclanché