Who is BCI?

Battery Council International (BCI) is a not-for-profit trade association formed to promote the interests of the international battery industry. BCI has more than 200 member companies worldwide engaged in every facet of the industry: lead battery manufacturers and recyclers, marketers and retailers, suppliers of raw materials and equipment, and expert consultants. As the industry’s principle association, BCI's member services have a global impact. 

BCI brings together the leading lead battery manufacturers in North America and other major players from around the world. Externally, BCI provides information and resources on the industry to various outside organizations and researchers. When working on behalf of its members, BCI provides an extensive database of statistical information called Source BCI. 

BCI establishes technical standards for battery manufacturing and actively promotes workable environmental, health and safety standards for the industry as a whole. BCI actively promotes the recycling of lead batteries and the use of recycled materials in the development of model battery recycling legislation at both state and federal levels in the U.S. This legislation was created as a way to efficiently recover valuable resources and keep recyclable materials out of the waste stream. This model has been adopted by legislatures in 37 states across the country. 

Goals

BCI’s primary goal is to provide members with the most up-to-date information on marketing and technical developments and updates on regulatory and legislative initiatives that could affect the global industry. BCI provides ongoing governmental, legislative liaison services for the industry and has established itself as the collective voice of its members and an authority on battery-related information.

BCI maintains an ongoing and extensive statistical program. BCI compiles raw data on automotive battery production shipments (original and replacement) at the manufacturer level and inventory level. This compilation enables members to gauge their performance against those of the industry as a whole. BCI also provides its members with annual distribution reports that allow members to keep abreast of ever-changing channels of distribution. BCI has been collecting and disseminating a monthly report on U.S. industrial battery and charger sales since 1990. Currently, the program consists of five active reports, which are available to participating member companies:      

1. Motive Power Battery Sales        
2. Net Sales of Diesel Locomotive Starting Batteries       
3. Industrial Truck Battery Charger Sales        
4. Standby Power Battery Sales        
5. Stationary Battery Cell Report

Members receive the industrial battery reports in which they participate. In 2001, BCI began reporting North American sales data. Additionally, BCI promotes the development and implementation of workable environmental, health and safety standards for the industry.

BCI helps lead the worldwide effort to increase the overall lead battery recycling rate. BCI has developed and is advancing model battery recycling legislation at the state and federal level. The model legislation prohibits lead batteries from being placed in landfills or incinerated and imposes a mandatory take-back system at the point of sale. BCI’s goal is to reach a 100 percent lead battery recycling rate.