Detroit – Comau and Intecells are bringing a new approach to battery cell manufacturing to The Battery Show North America, where they will jointly present an industrial roll-to-roll surface treatment developed around Intecells’ field-proven cold plasma technology.
Designed to make key battery production steps faster and more energy efficient, the innovative system will be on display at Huntington Place in Detroit, October 12-15 in Booth #3626. In 2025, Comau acquired a stake in Intecells, combining Intecells’ technology with its own ability to industrialize, integrate and scale advanced processes for production. Benefits range from improved cell performance to significant reductions in production time, energy consumption and investment costs. The companies will also explore how the underlying technology can be applied to other industries where surface treatment could increase efficiency or product performance.
The initiatives target a market expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 15% from 2025 to 2030, while strengthening Comau’s presence in North America. Using cold plasma to treat the surface of battery electrodes and/or separators, the solution lets the electrolyte spread and penetrate the materials more quickly and evenly. This can significantly shorten filling, soaking and drying while reducing the heat required, lowering both energy consumption, floor occupation and associated costs. In addition, it can also help lower cell resistance, contributing to better battery performance.
“The growth of cell manufacturing technology is creating significant opportunities across a market that spans batteries for both transportation and energy storage systems as well as renewables and electrification infrastructure,” said Pietro Gorlier, CEO of Comau. “For our customers, this means finding better ways to manufacture batteries at scale while controlling energy use, production time and costs. Our investment in Intecells addresses these needs with innovative technologies that deliver tangible benefits. Together, we will continue to bring plasma-based solutions to battery manufacturing and other industrial applications.”
“We need to transform battery manufacturing beyond iterative improvements in order to meet the energy demands of AI data centers and global mobility. Intecells is excited to partner with Comau, a world-class industrial automation leader, to scale our atmospheric plasma technology and combine advanced manufacturing physics with gigafactory automation – enabling cell producers and OEMs to deploy lower Capex, higher efficiency production lines across the globe” said Dr. Xiaohong Gayden, Founder and CEO of Intecells.
At the show, Comau will also highlight the new cell formation and testing hub it has built for the National Institute of Chemistry (NIC). Developed to meet customer requirements for flexible, industrialized cell formation and testing, the semi-automated platform supports pouch, cylindrical and prismatic cells, ranging from laboratory prototypes to high-power cells for automotive and industrial applications. With dedicated formation chambers and climatic and room-temperature testing stations, the NIC battery lab can accommodate different cell formats and testing requirements and is open to academic and industrial users across Europe.
Both projects reflect Comau’s broader, end-to-end capabilities across battery manufacturing, supporting customers from early-stage validation through industrial production with flexible, highly tailored solutions. Many of these will be featured at The Battery Show North America. Reflecting its global footprint and focus on local market needs, Comau will also participate in The Battery Show India, October 22-24, 2026, at the India Expo Mart, Greater Noida, NCR (Hall 7, Booth 115). The company’s comprehensive portfolio spans battery cell, module and pack manufacturing, battery end-of-life solutions, robotics for sensitive environments, digital technologies, e-Drive and e-Transmission manufacturing, hydrogen and other advanced electrification applications.
