PI-KEM completes major battery research facility project in Poland
Advanced materials specialist PI-KEM Ltd has successfully completed a three-year project to deliver the largest pouch cell pilot line in Eastern Europe.
The new facility is located at the Łukasiewicz – IMN | Centre for Electrochemical Energy Storage in Poznań, Poland.
The new facility represents a major investment in Poland’s battery research capabilities and will support the development and prototyping of next-generation lithium battery technologies.
Co-financed by Poland’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the pilot line is the only facility of its kind in the country and one of just a few comparable installations across Europe.
Designed to bridge the gap between laboratory research and industrial-scale production, the pilot line enables researchers to develop, test, and refine pouch cell technologies under realistic manufacturing conditions.
The facility is expected to play a key role in strengthening Poland’s position within the European battery research and energy storage landscape.
PI-KEM provided end-to-end project delivery, including early-stage consultation, pre-installation planning, and full on-site installation. The project was delivered in close partnership with long-standing supply partner MTI Corporation, a global supplier of battery manufacturing and testing equipment.
Installation and commissioning were carried out by PI-KEM’s project team — Fiona Rouse, Colin Rouse, Adam Gadsby, and Geoffrey Handley-Harrison — working alongside MTI Corporation engineers and the Łukasiewicz-IMN technical team.
Comprehensive training was provided by MTI specialists to ensure the facility could be fully utilised from day one.
Fiona Rouse, director at Tamworth-headquartered PI-KEM Ltd, said: “This project is a clear example of what can be achieved through long-term collaboration and shared technical ambition. We are proud to have supported the delivery of a facility that will play an important role in advancing battery research in Poland and across Europe.”
PI-KEM Ltd expects the new pilot line to support a wide range of academic and industrial research programmes and looks forward to continuing its collaboration with Łukasiewicz-IMN, as well as delivering further advanced research infrastructure projects across Eastern Europe.
