Battery factory near Heide: Lyten plans to start operations in 2028
On Monday (March 16), he visited the planned site of a battery factory near Heide for the first time; on Tuesday (March 17), Lyten CEO Cook spoke with the state government about the US company’s plans. He anticipates 1,000 jobs.
by Ben Armstrong
Lyten CEO Dan Cook has been in Schleswig-Holstein since Monday to discuss a potential takeover of the originally planned Northvolt battery factory near Heide ( Dithmarschen district ). On Tuesday morning in Kiel , he discussed his plans with representatives of the state government. The Lyten CEO emphasized that the company is not dependent on e-mobility: “We plan to produce batteries for a wide range of applications, including defense, stationary energy storage, mobility, and electric vehicles.” Cook clearly stressed the distinction between Lyten and Northvolt.
Northvolt acquisition: Lyten plans to start operations in 2028
Lyten plans to build a combined battery cell production facility, data center, and battery storage system in the Heide region. Construction is scheduled to begin next year, with operations planned to commence in 2028. Dan Cook anticipates that the planned acquisition of the German Northvolt subsidiary will create approximately 1,000 jobs in the first phase of the Heide site.
He announced that the project will be largely privately financed: “Should we be offered public funding at a later date, we will certainly consider it.”
State government convinced by Cook’s plans
Minister-President Daniel Günther (CDU) expressed optimism regarding the company’s plans:
We are very positive about the timeline that Dan Cook presented to us today.
”Of course, we are also ensuring that the remaining issues are clarified with the federal government, as these are steps that now need to be taken.” According to Cook, he is traveling on to Berlin to discuss the takeover with representatives of the federal government.
For the opposition, however, the meeting yielded no real results.
Kianusch Stender, the SPD parliamentary group’s economic policy spokesperson, on Cook’s visit, commented:
The visit is an important signal, but it doesn’t replace concrete agreements.
”No contract has been signed, nor are there any binding commitments. Without such commitments, there is no secure future,”
Lyten presents plans to regional stakeholders from Dithmarschen
The Lyten CEO has been in the state since Monday. His first stop was the construction site near Heide . According to the mayors of Lohe-Rickelshof and Norderwöhrden (both in the Dithmarschen district ), Kai Tange (SPD) and Kay-Uwe Evers (Free Voters’ Association Norderwöhrden), it was an introductory meeting with various representatives from the region. Minister of Economic Affairs Claus Ruhe Madsen (CDU) also attended the meeting.
Local politicians consider the project realistic.
Dirk Burmeister, CEO of the Heide development agency, considers the planned development feasible. However, he notes that the scale of Lyten’s planned project remains unclear. Furthermore, Burmeister reports that the project’s implementation is expected to be slower than that of Northvolt.
But that doesn’t deter the local politicians.
Mayor Kai Tange, says:
It’s better than if the next person comes along and says, ‘I can do it fast and big,’ and then in the end can’t pull it off,
He believes Cook’s ideas provide a sensible starting point. However, Tange adds, the stakeholders now need to act on this foundation.
The development plans for the settlement area may need to be changed.
The municipalities may even have to take action soon. As soon as Lyten completes the takeover, it would have to be examined whether the zoning plan for the construction site needs to be amended. “Northvolt had planned a conventional battery production facility. Lyten, on the other hand, had envisioned a kind of industrial hub, […] This deviates from the plans,” explains Björn Jörgensen, senior administrative officer in the Heider Umland district.
Northvolt originally planned to create 3,000 jobs.
The Swedish company Northvolt originally planned to build a battery factory near Heide, creating around 3,000 jobs. Battery cells for up to one million electric cars per year were to be produced on the west coast of Schleswig-Holstein. Following Northvolt’s insolvency proceedings, Lyten announced in August 2025 that it would take over Northvolt’s sites.
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Battery factory near Heide: Lyten plans to start operations in 2028, source
