Princeton NuEnergy Receives “2025 Smart Move SC New Plant Award” from South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance and South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership
PRINCETON, N.J. and CHESTER, S.C., Oct. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Princeton NuEnergy Inc. (PNE), a leader in manufacturing advanced battery materials utilizing next-generation direct recycling technology, today announced it has received the “2025 Smart Move SC New Plant Award” from the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance (SCMA) and the South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (SCMEP). The award, which recognizes manufacturers that have made a “smart move” by choosing to locate in South Carolina and invest in the State’s manufacturing ecosystem, was presented on Thursday, October 16, 2025, at the SC Manufacturing Summit Awards Luncheon in Columbia.
PNE was recognized for its Chester, South Carolina manufacturing operation producing advanced black mass and cathode active material (CAM), converting spent lithium-ion batteries and manufacturing scrap into high-performance, battery-grade materials. The plant strengthens the U.S. battery supply chain by expanding domestic production capacity of black mass and CAM, contributing to U.S. energy independence and grid stabilization. The award was accepted at the Summit by Mr. Joey Qiao, Chief Manufacturing & Engineering Officer, and Mr. Ryan Compton, Assistant Plant Manager.
Dr. Chao Yan, Co-Founder and CEO of Princeton NuEnergy, said:
SCMA’s and SCMEP’s recognition is an important milestone for our Chester team and our company,
“Our Chester facility advances U.S. manufacturing leadership by producing battery-grade materials domestically while building a circular economy for critical materials that supports national security and supply chain resilience.”
Joey Qiao, CMEO at PNE, said:
Our Chester operation is scaling to meet market needs while we advance Direct Recycling 2.0 and cathode upcycling capabilities,
“We’re proud to contribute to South Carolina’s manufacturing leadership and remain focused on operational excellence that supports resilient, efficient domestic supply chains.” Following the award, PNE outlined next steps at the Chester facility, including phased capacity increases, additional quality certifications, and supplier onboarding that deepen domestic sourcing while advancing process standardization and manufacturing efficiency.
PNE’s Chester facility transforms lithium-ion end-of-life materials and manufacturing scrap into advanced black mass and, in future, will utilize the company’s proprietary direct recycling platform to produce rejuvenated, battery-grade material products —an approach designed to drive manufacturing quality, process efficiency, and supply chain resilience as the company continues to industrialize at commercial scale.
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Princeton NuEnergy Receives “2025 Smart Move SC New Plant Award” from South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance and South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership, source
