Following the opening of its flexible pilot line on February 12, 2026, which aims to bridge the gap between laboratory-scale research and full-scale battery production, the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) has added to the facility’s capabilities with the delivery of new pouch cell assembly equipment from Italy.
The pouch cell assembly kit will join the cylindrical cell assembly equipment that has already been fitted to provide expanded capabilities for UKBIC’s smaller development line. The new equipment was built by Digatron at its factory near Verona and is currently being fitted in its bespoke space at the facility in Coventry.
Once complete, the FPL will be able to produce not only high-quality electrodes but also a range of cell formats (220×115 pouch, tabbed and tabless 21700 cylindrical, and 4695 cylindrical). It is expected the first customers will be able to use the cell assembly kit from the autumn.
Richard LeCain, chief technology officer at UKBIC, said, “Getting the pouch kit in is the final step in FPL construction, and we can now concentrate on testing and commissioning for both of our new assembly lines.
“The new equipment will play an important role in helping organizations de-risk scale-up and accelerate the commercialization of new battery technologies and will be open to smaller organizations than currently use our larger line.”
UKBIC already has cell assembly capability on its industrial scale-up line, offering customers 21700 tabbed cylindrical or 300×100 pouch cells at volume.
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