The Destination Is Clear – Even If the Path Is Not
The goal is clear. The transformation toward e‑mobility will happen – with an equally clear outcome: affordable, sustainable mobility solutions for a broad segment of society. What remains uncertain is not the destination, but the path. Transformations of this magnitude are rarely linear. They involve detours, corrections, and learning curves. Europe’s battery value chain is a prime example of this reality.
Over the past years, Europe has made bold moves to establish its own battery ecosystem. In some cases, gigafactory capacities were built before demand from OEMs was fully secured. Standardized industrial operating models and scale effects were sometimes underestimated, while funding schemes focused heavily on upfront investments rather than long‑term operating efficiency. Compared to Asia – where rapid scaling and learning‑by‑doing were prioritized – Europe’s approach has appeared cautious and, at times, costly.
Learn more: The battery decisions Europe cannot undo - The Battery Chronicle
Yet this should not be read as a failure. It is part of the learning process. Industrial competitiveness in batteries does not emerge overnight, nor does it originate solely in laboratories. It is built through stable, repeatable, high‑volume manufacturing processes, continuous optimization, and the ability to adapt as markets, technologies, and chemistries evolve.
Brückner as a reliable partner
Our ambition is to supply production lines for battery separator films that enable our customers to move faster along this industrial learning curve and gain a clear technical advantage. Demand for technical films has increased significantly in recent years, and BO lines for technical film applications now represent around half of our total revenue. In the battery sector, we work closely with customers on next‑generation separator films that combine extreme thinness with high mechanical stability.
Using a precisely controlled biaxial stretching process, in which temperature profiles, stretching ratios, and line speeds must interact perfectly, we achieve film thicknesses down to 5 micrometers. Our latest production lines set new benchmarks, offering film widths of up to 8.7 meters and exceptionally tight uniformity – unique worldwide.
