NEWS RELEASE11 April 2025 Industry expert Meech warns of the common threat of contamination across lab test sites, prototypes and scaled-up EV battery production lines
Left: Ian Atkinson, sales director at Meech. Right: Non-contact web cleaning system in action.Witney, UK – 11 April 2025. As the electric vehicle (EV) battery sector matures, contamination is emerging as a widespread but underappreciated threat to production efficiency. According to Meech International, global experts in static control and surface cleaning, this challenge spans the entire development cycle – from lab test lines and prototype cells to full-scale gigafactory production. In today’s climate of plateauing EV demand and rising costs caused by global tariffs, improving yield is more critical than ever. Research from Meech has identified sixteen places in battery production where contamination can hit yields. Ian Atkinson, sales director at Meech, will be addressing this topic at E-Tech Europe 2025 (Italy, 15-16 April) where he will outline how battery manufacturers can enhance yields by opting to proactively manage contamination and static from the outset. “Many facilities operate under the assumption that materials arrive clean and ready for processing, but contamination can be introduced at every stage – through manual handling, slitting, storage or even during inter-facility transit,” says Ian Atkinson. “Even in cleanrooms, seemingly minor factors can lead to major end-user consequences.” Meech has identified multiple points across battery cell production where contaminants, including fine particulates and residues, can compromise electrode integrity and cause latent structural defects. These issues are often missed in early-stage quality control but become much costlier when scaled. Yield losses of 40% or more are not uncommon in newer technologies, but Meech’s experience shows that by implementing contamination control at the right stages, manufacturers can achieve significant improvements of over 10% in all battery technologies. In the context of increasing economic pressure, this represents a vital opportunity for producers to claw back efficiency and minimise the impact of external factors, like tariffs. Rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions, Meech works closely with battery OEMs and technical institutes to design tailored cleaning systems that integrate static removal and particulate extraction at key production points – from pre-coating cleaning through to post-slitting stages. This helps manufacturers adopt a “zero faults forward” approach and build resilience into their processes. Attendees at E-Tech Europe 2025 will gain exclusive insight into the most common contamination points in battery production, and how to address them to achieve measurable performance gains. Ian Atkinson will be speaking at 9.30am on Wednesday, 16 April, at the Bologna Exhibition Centre, Hall 21, Ohm Room. Visit the Meech stand (Hall 21, Stand A35) or attend the session to learn more about Meech’s EV battery production contamination research. ENDSDownload high-resolution images here – https://we.tl/t-fVwMb1qfWxAbout Meech International Headquartered in Witney, near Oxford, UK, Meech International is a global leader in static control, surface cleaning and air technology. Its products, manufactured in both the UK and US can be installed in original manufacturing equipment or added to existing lines or plants. Meech products add value to production in the automotive, battery, converting, electronics food and drink, medical, pharmaceutical, packaging and textile industries. With offices in Belgium, China, Hungary, Singapore and the US its products are sold in 50 different countries worldwide and the company is globally renowned for quality and reliability. Meech’s products are designed, manufactured and rigorously tested by a team of in-house engineers, with complete control of the supply chain, stock and shipping to ensure unparalleled standards of engineering, performance and customer service. Meech is certified by BSI to ISO9001 and meets all the highest international standards which include CENELEC EN 60950, UL/CSA (CUL) and CE. We also hold ATEX and UL“EX” approvals for use in hazardous environments. For further information, images, or to request technical documentation, please contact: Email: [email protected] Website: www.meech.com UK Press Team:TALA Nicky Smith E: [email protected] T: +44 (0)7771 785228 Lotta Baud E: [email protected] T: +44 (0)7825 410380