Process for manufacturing a lithiated transition metal oxide, said process comprising the steps of (a) mixing at least one lithium salt and a precursor selected from transition metal oxides, transition metal oxyhydroxides, transition metal hydroxides, and transition metal carbonates, (b) pre-calcining the mixture obtained in step (a) at a temperature in the range of from 300 to 700° C., and (c) calcining the pre-calcined mixture according to step (b) in a multi-stage fluidized bed reactor at a temperature in the range of from 550° C. to 950° C., wherein the temperatures in step (b) and (c) are selected in a way that step (c) is being performed at a temperature higher than that of step (b).