Sortbat appoints Øystein Kjæreng as new CEO of Sortbat Norway
Experienced energy, maritime and industrial leader takes over from Marcus Sandholmen
Sortbat welcomes Øystein Kjæreng as the new Chief Executive Officer of Sortbat Norway. He succeeds Marcus Sandholmen, who will leave the company at the end of May. The appointment supports the Sortbat Group's ambition to strengthen its operations across Norway and the wider Nordic region.
Building on specialised expertise
Sortbat Norway is a specialist in the safe handling and dismantling of EV and industrial batteries. The company processes large volumes of end-of-life batteries as well as critical cases involving fire, water or vehicle accident damage and proposes also second life possibilities for battery modules. Sortbat Norway is fully independent from any PRO and/or recycler, positioning the company as an ideal partner for optimised solutions.
A key part of this expertise is Sortbat Norway’s specialised Flying Technicians team, which carries out on-site battery assessments, thermal runaway stabilisation and intervention on damaged batteries before transport, dismantling and further handling. Alongside its core EV and industrial battery activities, the company has expanded into the maritime sector.
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Under Marcus Sandholmen's leadership, more than 30,000 EV batteries have been dismantled, building a strong reputation for safe and reliable operations in complex, high-risk environments.
A new chapter with Øystein Kjæreng
Øystein Kjæreng brings more than 25 years of international leadership experience across the energy, maritime and cleantech sectors, having held various management roles with a focus on battery technology, strategic partnerships, business development and strategy. He was founder and CEO of Ocean Battery AS, and part of the founding team and CEO of Tesvolt Ocean GmbH, a joint venture with German battery manufacturer Tesvolt. In these roles, he built battery businesses from early-stage technology to certified, market-ready industrial solutions in highly regulated markets. Earlier in his career, he held senior positions at Yara International and Norsk Hydro.
"Marcus and the team have built something special here, with unique know-how and a strong position in Norway and the Nordics. There are exciting opportunities ahead, and I look forward to building further on this foundation together with our skilled employees, as well as our customers and partners," says Øystein Kjæreng, CEO Sortbat Norway.
Under his leadership, Sortbat Norway will deepen its Nordic presence in EV battery handling and continue to set the standard for the safe handling of critical and damaged battery systems.
"Øystein's industrial, battery and maritime background fits the next phase of Sortbat Norway perfectly, and we look forward to working with him to strengthen our position across the Nordics. We also sincerely thank Marcus Sandholmen for his commitment and the strong foundation he leaves behind," says Daniel Chéret, Group CEO of Sortbat.
Press contact – Sortbat Norway
Øystein Kjæreng
+47 9954 3502
Betina Albertsen
+47 9343 2932
Press contact - Sortbat
Daniel Chéret
+32 (0)475 90 91 45
About Sortbat Norway
Headquartered in Sandefjord, Sortbat Norway is the specialist in EV and industrial battery handling for the Norwegian market. The company delivers:
- nationwide EV and industrial battery collection
- dismantling, diagnostics, packaging and certification of large-format batteries (LMT, HEV, PHEV, BEV, BESS)
- ADR-compliant transport and safe logistics
- Flying Technicians: mobile experts deployed on-site for BESS decommissioning, thermal runaway stabilisation and damaged-battery intervention
Formerly known as Høyenergi, Sortbat Norway joined the Sortbat Group in 2025.
About Sortbat
Founded in 2010, Sortbat is Europe's leading specialist and pioneer in the safe processing of all types of used batteries. Backed by 30 years of international battery know-how from its parent organisation Bebat, the company has developed deep expertise in battery management, including 15 years of operational experience in sorting small batteries, and through Sortbat Norway, 10 years of experience in large batteries.
The Group operates fully independently from recyclers and OEMs and is active across Belgium, Norway, Sweden and the wider Nordic region.
Thanks to its state-of-the-art infrastructure, Sortbat sorts batteries by their chemistry and prepares them for reuse or recycling. The company also facilitates battery reuse by dismantling, safety-testing and reconditioning batteries from large vehicles, whether damaged or in good condition. Through its innovative approach, Sortbat actively contributes to the transition to a more sustainable environment by optimising the sorting and processing of batteries and thereby supporting the circular economy.
