Prepare to Stop, Drop and Scroll: Epic E-Commerce Day Approaches
The Monday after Thanksgiving does more than launch the official countdown to December holidays. It’s Cyber Monday, 24 hours of epic e-commerce activity – nearly a whopping $11 billion last year. This year, as they have for decades, lead batteries will play a critical role in delivering holiday joy to online shoppers.
Lead Batteries Power Internet Shopping
Cyber Monday depends on data centers and logistics networks operating at maximum capacity. Behind the scenes are powerful lead batteries. They have a role from the moment an order is placed until it arrives on your doorstep or package room. Here’s how that pathway works.
At point of sale, lead batteries provide the backup power for the massive data centers handling the billions of dollars of financial transactions. Data centers rely on lead batteries to ensure there’s no downtime.
After the sale, lead batteries keep the power going to help the global marketplace manage the complex logistical networks required to deliver packages on time.
Lead Batteries Move Packages and Deliveries
Without lead batteries, delivery of our online purchases would be derailed. Approximately 90% of all material handling equipment, from freight trains to electric forklifts, use advanced lead batteries to, literally, move the economy.
Forklifts Lead batteries are the dominant energy source to power the millions of electric forklifts and industrial trucks that speed packages and products around warehouses and distribution centers across the world. The dependable lead battery power allows retailers and shipping companies to send packages to consumers at record speed.
Ships Lead batteries power ships filled with goods from overseas markets that arrive on our shores. When the ships arrive at port, cranes, lifts and trucks do the heavy lifting to move the shipping containers to lift trucks, which then deliver the goods to distribution centers.
Tractor-Trailers Engines in the heavy duty tractor-trailer fleet are started with a lead battery, and the U.S. economy depends on these trucks to deliver nearly 70% of all freight transported annually. The batteries also power many cab and bunk conveniences that make road life more comfortable for drivers.
Planes and Trains Lead batteries also power aircraft and locomotives, as well as the signal lights and crossing barriers that help keep everyone safe.
Delivery Vehicles Once online purchases are ordered, they have to get delivered. Delivery vehicles and personal vehicles alike rely on lead batteries for critical functions. Lead batteries power nearly all of the 275 million vehicles in the U.S. Even most electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids depend on a 12V lead battery for safety and comfort.
(Close to) Home for the Holidays
The news is rife with headlines about supply chain disruptions and shortages, generally created by reliance on materials arriving from outside the U.S. Fortunately for the transportation and delivery sector, the lead battery industry is not reliant on materials from outside the U.S.
Lead battery manufacturing plants are based in the U.S. This domestic infrastructure is one less headache for logistics and material handling professionals. Furthermore, the lead battery industry has an established North American network to manufacture, collect, recycle and remanufacture lead batteries. Combine that with a 99% recycling rate, and you have a model circular economy, rooted in resiliency and reliability.
Put Lead Batteries on Your “Nice” List
So as you shop from the comfort of your home or office, phone or laptop, give a warm thought to sustainable lead batteries. They are working in force to ensure that your merry Cyber Monday purchases – and online purchases year round – find their way to you without disruption or disappointment.
