Transforming used batteries into new industrial resources : this is the goal that brings together SOMFY and VoltR. Driven by a shared conviction, that a battery at the end of its first life still retains significant value, the two partners are taking a major step forward : the integration of remanufactured French batteries into certain SOMFY products. This is a concrete example of how the circular economy can help reduce the industry’s environmental impact while strengthening local supply chains.
After producing the first prototypes in the summer of 2023, the two companies jointly conducted several validation phases focusing on the solution’s technical performance,environmental impact, industrial feasibility, and economic competitiveness. This work led to a major industrial breakthrough: the integration of French-remanufactured batteries into SOMFY motors. These batteries have been used since early 2026 in SONESSE® 28 motors, designed for interior blinds, and meet the same quality, reliability, and performance standards as conventional batteries.
“When a startup like VoltR partners with a group like SOMFY, success depends above all on the teams driving the project. At SOMFY, we found dedicated partners who believed in our technology from the very beginning and supported us with high standards all the way through to market launch. We are very proud to have taken on this challenge alongside them and to demonstrate, with a player of this magnitude, that the French remanufactured battery is an industrial reality capable of meeting the highest standards,” says François Mallet, Sales Manager and co-founder of VoltR.
Beyond the circularapproach, the partnership between SOMFY and VoltR addresses a twofoldchallenge: reducing the environmental footprint of batteries while contributingto the emergence of a more self-sufficient French industry.
A comparative lifecycle analysis conducted by VoltR shows that remanufactured batteriesintegrated into the relevant products reduce greenhouse gas emissionsassociated with their production by 68%, while limiting the consumption ofmineral resources, energy, and water.
This partnership also addresses a major industrial challenge. While 94% of lithium batteries used in Europe are imported from Asia, VoltR is helping to build a local alternative based on the reuse of resources already available within the region. By developing a battery remanufacturing supply chain in France, the company is helping to strengthen European industrial sovereignty while reducing dependence on critical raw materials.
“Our collaboration with VoltR addresses a two fold strategic challenge : meeting the growing demand for batteries amid resource constraints, while reducing our environmental impact. This is precisely the promise of remanufacturing : to view batteries at the end of their first life cycle not as waste, but as a valuable resource. By giving them a new purpose, we help conserve raw materials and limit the emissions associated with manufacturing new batteries. We are proud to be working alongside VoltR to help establish a French circular economy sector for batteries,” said Charles-Edouard VASSE, Vice President of Procurement for the SOMFY Group.
By giving lithium batteries a second life, SOMFY and VoltR are demonstrating that it is possible to reconcile innovation, competitiveness, and environmental transition, while fostering the emergence of new, more circular, and more resilient industrial models.
