BidItUp Auctions Worldwide has announced it will host a major six-day industrial auction of the assets of recently-shuttered 400,000-square-foot XALT Energy battery plant in Midland, Michigan.
Lots up for bidding represent what BidItUp calls “a complete end-to-end lithium-ion pouch cell manufacturing ecosystem, from raw material handling through formation, aging, and grading—supported by world-class automation, clean/dry room environments, and advanced safety systems.”
Featured items include Thyssenkrupp automated assembly lines, Tesla Manz assembly stations and cathode and anode slurry mixing systems from brands such as Bühler and Hitachi.
The offering also features coating lines, formation and grading systems, and more than 40 industrial robots from FANUC, ABB, and KUKA. According to BidItUp, the equipment reflects a substantial investment in production technology, including parallel anode and cathode lines capable of both solvent-based and aqueous processing.
The auction will be held via live webcast starting at 10 a.m. EDT on March 31, 2026, and continue with sessions beginning at 10 a.m EDT on each of the next five business days. Each day of the auction will focus on specific segments of the production process.
Bidder registration, virtual walk-throughs of the plant facility and a full list of lots are available through the auction details page on the BidItUp Auctions website.
Key items in the sale remain under power and available for inspection. Interested parties may preview the sale by appointment in Midland, Michigan.
History of the XALT Energy facility
The Midland facility was originally established by Dow Kokam, a joint venture formed in 2009 between The Dow Chemical Company and Townsend Ventures.
Then-Vice President Joe Biden attended the groundbreaking ceremony as construction on the site began in June 2010. The facility was supported by a $161 million matching grant from the U.S. Department of Energy through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The plant was actively used for over a decade to produce large-format lithium-ion cells and battery packs. The Dow Kokam venture was rebranded as XALT Energy after Townsend Ventures acquired Dow’s interest in 2013.
In 2019, Freudenberg e-Power Systems became a majority stakeholder in the plant before becoming the sole owner in 2023. That same year, the company signed a contract to supply 19 GWh of battery cells to LG Energy Solution. The contract was dissolved by mutual agreement after Freudenberg decided to withdraw from the battery business in 2025, citing a significant slowdown in demand for heavy-duty electric and hybrid vehicles in North America.
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