MS visits “cutting edge” Dafen firm leading on battery reusage

LLANELLI’S Member of the Senedd Lee Waters visited local firm Treharne Group, based in Dafen, to see their leading work on recycling batteries.

There are currently no lithium battery recyclers in the UK, with the majority of former car batteries sent to Belgium for their end of life disposal. The small Dafen firm are aiming to create a new market for second hand batteries, including work to electrify the UK’s fleet of small maritime workboats.

The firm, which diversified in response to the changing economic climate during the pandemic, is now eyeing a leading role in the electric revolution.

Remarking on the firms work, Lee Waters, said: “We don’t talk near enough about the fantastic innovation we have going on right here on our doorstep. But so we should, because Llanelli can be very proud of its cluster of high-end engineering firms.

“Treharne Group are going from strength to strength, branching into new fields like maritime batteries, and creating quality local employment. It’s firms like these that are at the cutting edge of meeting our ambitious targets to decarbonise our economy. I’m looking forward to working closely with them to make sure these green jobs and industries of the future can and do thrive here in the Llanelli constituency.”

A representative from Treharne Group, said: “The Treharne group, initially established to expand our engineering operations into new sectors by capitalising on our diverse skill sets, is now in a unique position to support a wide range of developments in the drive towards more sustainable transportation and infrastructure.  We must be diligent in our moves to reduce our carbon footprint to ensure the manufacture of new technologies is not offset by the emissions generated through raw material sourcing and processing.  The recycling of existing lithium ion material locally is a huge step in ensuring battery technology can be a viable longer term solution.”