Mini- and Microenvironments in Battery Cell Production: Players, Patents and Potential
by Claresta Rugerri and Dr. Christoph Neef / June 02, 2025
Mini- and microenvironments have the potential to make battery cell production more sustainable. These concepts are still a research topic. However, industrial activities are also increasing, with many of the players coming from Germany and Europe. An analysis of patent activities and players shows the research hot spots and geographical hot spots of this emerging technology.
Battery cell manufacturing requires a precisely controlled production environment to ensure consistently high quality and performance. Mini- and microenvironments provide a promising solution by controlling the contamination, temperature and humidity in a local environment, creating ideal conditions for sensitive process steps. This could make the large and energy-intensive clean and dry rooms used so far obsolete and significantly reduce the energy consumption of cell production.
The technology readiness level (TRL) of these approaches is currently mainly at the experimental to pilot stage, but the first applications in industry are already visible. A broader market introduction is expected between 2025 and 2028, as Plocher et al. predict.1
Important topics in research and development include energy-efficient air conditioning, the integration of the technology into existing production facilities, and scalability for mass production. Industry plays a crucial role in the further development of these technologies, as practical implementations and pilot projects can provide valuable insights into market readiness. Experience gained in semiconductor manufacturing with mini environments could serve as a basis for battery cell manufacturing.
Industrial structure and players
The development of mini- and microenvironments has not yet been characterized by a specific industry. Instead, several existing industries could be relevant for the subsequent development, manufacturing and supply. These include manufacturers of clean rooms and dry rooms, glove boxes, drying technology and automation technology. Depending on the concept of housing, drying and integration into production lines, mini- and microenvironments can be considered as intersections of these industries.
There are a large number of companies worldwide in the sections of clean rooms and dry rooms, drying technology and glove box technologies. Those companies are globally distributed and are mainly found in industrial regions such as the US, Europe and East Asia. The manufacturers of drying technology are distributed globally, without any particularly strong regional focus being apparent, while the glove box producers show a greater concentration in China, the US and Europe, particularly in Germany and France.
A significant proportion of the companies identified state that their products are also used in battery cell production. However, it is difficult to verify the specific link to large-scale projects such as giga factories, as no systematic data is available. It can be assumed that only a few companies in the field of drying technology and equipment are actually involved in gigafactories.
Some companies explicitly mention the concept of mini- and microenvironments with reference to battery cell production, with most of these players being based in Germany. It is not yet clear whether these suppliers actually deliver technologies that are compatible with the requirements of giga-scale battery cell production.
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