September 25, 2025

|

Nantes

France

On September 24, ARMOR BATTERY FILMS, a subsidiary of ARMOR GROUP and a key player in the battery value chain, officially inaugurated its new cutting-edge manufacturing site dedicated to carbon-coated current collectors. After 20 months of construction and initial ramp-up, the facility was inaugurated in the presence of government officials, local authorities, international clients, and strategic partners. With the ambition to support the global growth of battery manufacturers, ARMOR BATTERY FILMS is scaling up its production capacity fivefold.

High-Tech Production to Support Global Battery Growth

With an annual capacity of 150 million m² equivalent to 40GWh, the site can produce the equivalent of 800,000 EV batteries (50 kWh each). And it’s just the beginning: the building is designed to scale up to 100 GWh.

“Our new equipment allows us to meet both highly specific niche demands and large-scale volumes for gigafactories,” said Laurent Martel, Industrial Director. The infrastructure supports fast industrialization and flexible product design, including inline or intermittent coating and adjustable widths. By establishing this new plant in France, a long-standing strategic partner for North America, the company is now ideally positioned to accelerate time-to-market and boost sales across both the EU and NA regions. This enhanced proximity and capacity enable us to respond more quickly to customer needs, strengthen our commercial reach, and capture new opportunities in these key markets.

R&D Hub Driving Innovation

The facility includes a dedicated 500m² R&D Center with three labs (formulation electrochemistry, physicochemistry), including a dry room, enabling coin and pouch cells testing of our advanced coated current collectors. Many products are already validated for LFP, NMC, sodium-ion, lithium-sulfur, dry process applications…

“The new equipment enables us to better understand in-depth performance of our primed current collectors, and share more relevant data with our customers really It also allows us to take innovation further. We're now able to create more advanced and customized current collectors that match the fast-emerging demands of the battery industry, in many different new areas for the new battery generations” said Pierre Guichard, Head of R&D. “Thanks to this new facility, we’ll soon unveil a new current collector specifically designed for LFP technologies, tailored to meet the demands of the electric vehicle market”

Strategic Positioning in a Rapidly Evolving Global Market

The global lithium-ion battery market, valued at $75.2 billion in 2024, is projected to grow at 15.8% annually through 2034. Europe is emerging as a key player, with Germany expected to become the second-largest producer by 2025, alongside France, Sweden, Hungary, and Italy.

Despite market volatility—delays in EV transition policies, gigafactory setbacks, and shifting U.S. renewable energy policies—demand remains strong. ARMOR BATTERY FILMS is strategically positioned to serve high-growth sectors beyond EVs, including data centers, ESS, defense, aerospace, and e-mobility.

With a robust client base across North America, Europe, and Asia, the company is establishing itself as a leading Western alternative to Asian coated current collector manufacturers.

“Lithium-ion batteries are central to the energy transition and industrial sovereignty,” said Hubert de Boisredon, CEO of ARMOR GROUP. “Our carbon coated current collectors enhance battery safety and extend lifespan by over 20%, making them essential for battery applications. This inauguration marks a major step in proving that France can innovate and industrialize at scale.”

About ARMOR BATTERY FILMS

ARMOR BATTERY FILMS designs, manufactures, and markets carbon coated current collectors under the En' Safe® brand. These components improve corrosion resistance, adhesion, and reduce internal resistance, boosting battery safety, performance, and cycle life. Backed by a multidisciplinary team of 50 experts, the company serves international clients across strategic sectors.

ARMOR BATTERY FILMS is part of ARMOR GROUP, a global leader in ink formulation, thin-film coating, and circular economy solutions. ARMOR GROUP employs 2,450 people across 20 countries and generated €446M in revenue in 2024.