Essential Energy Tour | July 11, 2024

Essential Energy Tour – EnerSys

We’re touring several U.S.-based battery manufacturing and recycling stars who help form the strong network of BCI member companies. They provide batteries and the services and supplies that are used to create those batteries. They also comprise the vast domestic infrastructure that ensures a reliable energy storage source exists to power the U.S. economy.

EnerSys is the largest industrial battery manufacturer in the world

EnerSys is a global leader in stored energy solutions for industrial applications and designs. The company manufactures and distributes energy system solutions and motive power batteries, specialty batteries, battery chargers, power equipment, battery accessories and more to customers worldwide.

The company focuses on four lines of business:

  • Energy Systems – Combining power conversion, distribution, energy storage, and enclosures, this system is used in the telecommunication, broadband and utility industries, uninterruptible power supplies, and numerous applications requiring stored energy solutions.
EnerSys is the largest industrial battery manufacturer in the world
  • Motive Power – Allows batteries and chargers to be utilized in electric forklift trucks and other industrial electric powered vehicles.
  • Specialty – Used in aerospace and defense applications, large over-the-road trucks, premium automotive, medical, and security systems applications. 
  • New Ventures – Provides energy storage and management systems for various applications including demand charge reduction, utility back-up power, and dynamic fast charging for electric vehicles.
EnerSys headquarters in Reading, Pennsylvania

EnerSys headquarters in Reading, Pennsylvania

Industry expansion over the years

EnerSys and its predecessor companies have been manufacturers of industrial batteries for over 125 years. The current company was formed in late 2000 to acquire from Yuasa Corporation, its reserve power and motive power battery businesses in North and South America.

In March 2002, EnerSys acquired the Energy Storage Group of Invensys plc. The company has made over 30 acquisitions since its formation, including the most recent acquisitions of NorthStar Batteries and the Alpha Group of companies in the power electronics markets.

Supports customers in over 100 countries

EnerSys operates manufacturing and assembly facilities worldwide for customers in over 100 countries. Worldwide and Americas headquarters are in Reading, Pennsylvania, USA with regional headquarters in Zug, Switzerland and Singapore, and maintains 26 manufacturing plants worldwide. Product mixes include TPPL, Lithium, Systems Assembly, MP flooded batteries, ES flooded batteries, EAS, and distribution centers.

Product mix chart and facility locations and product mix facility map

The company continues to deliver its products and services to customers through total employee involvement, teamwork, and supplier partnerships. “Exceeding our customers’ expectations and supplying the highest quality products and services are paramount at EnerSys. This belief is the foundation that helps shape the company’s vision for progress and allows our customers to achieve their goals.”

Commitment to sustainability efforts

Our products and services enable the widespread adoption of renewable energy, supporting global greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals and helping to slow the impacts of climate change. Sustainability at EnerSys, however, is about more than just the benefits and impacts of our products. We also prioritize making our operations more efficient, minimizing the impact of our manufacturing, transporting, and distribution processes.

“Our commitment to sustainability is ingrained in our core values. By prioritizing continuous improvement, we seek to remain an industry leader, driving positive, sustainable and profitable change in our operations.” – EnerSys President and CEO, David M. Shaffer.

Top sustainability highlights include:

  • In 2023, a 25% reduction was achieved in Scope 1 (direct) Greenhouse Gas emissions vs 2019.
  • In 2023, EnerSys operations used 9.7% less water compared to 2022. The company prioritizes using recycled water over fresh water whenever feasible, with its recycled water usage at 12% in 2023. 
  • For the past two years Newsweek has named EnerSys one of “America’s Most Responsible Companies”
  • In 2023, EnerSys received the Better Practice Award from the DOE Better Plants Program for the implementation of the EnerSys Operating System (EOS) Lean Management program. EOS helps EnerSys implement  sustainability projects such as reducing packaging and waste, and energy savings initiatives, in both manufacturing and transportation of products.  In 2024, EnerSys was awarded the Better Project Award from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Better Plants Program for implementation of the Sovema Cold Cube cutting system.

Additionally, in 2023, according to the preliminary findings from the company’s 2023 Scope 1, 2 & 3 emissions inventory, the avoided emissions associated with the use of its batteries in electric forklifts (replacing diesel and propane forklifts) on average range between five to ten times the emissions from mining, manufacturing, and shipping of batteries. In some locations, the avoided emissions from using EnerSys batteries reach a 20x net benefit.

Safety remains a top priority

EnerSys achieved a global OSHA Recordable Rate of <2.00 for its global operations this past fiscal year, FY24. EnerSys’s EOS (EnerSys Operating System) program also continues to deliver continual improvement opportunities across the global business that provide improvement in its Global Environmental, Health, and Safety programs.

Transforming energy solutions

EnerSys is committed to transforming energy solutions, transitioning from traditional lead-acid technology to advanced systems and industrial innovation, and powering the future through energy management capabilities.

The company’s Fast Charge and Storage (FC&S) solution provides advanced energy management capabilities enabling customers to optimize their energy consumption. By proactively managing energy demand, it eliminates short-term peaks, reduces pressure on the electrical grid, and cuts peak rate electricity surcharges. The system is controlled by sophisticated software that ensures efficient operation and adaptations, while also providing complete and intuitive dashboards to monitor performance and reliability.

EnerSys has designed a complete energy system to power an evolving world: EV fast charging system is coupled with robust battery storage to address multiple important opportunities.

EnerSys has designed a complete energy system to power an evolving world: EV fast charging system is coupled with robust battery storage to address multiple important opportunities.

In November 2023, EnerSys announced that Landmark Dividend LLC (“Landmark”), a company providing services in acquisition, development, and management of real estate and digital infrastructure, placed an order for 50 units of EnerSys’s proprietary and revolutionary energy storage and management systems that enables energy optimization through various applications including demand charge reduction, utility back-up power, and dynamic fast charging for electric vehicles (EVs).

Serving communities in times of need

EnerSys empowers its employees to volunteer in their communities, further reinforcing the company’s dedication to making a positive impact beyond business operations. The company has many examples of supporting local and global communities.

EnerSys proudly supports the United Way of Berks County, and at the start of 2024 received the Top Ten Company award, recognizing its steadfast commitment to United Way’s mission to inspire collaboration, volunteerism, and financial support to build a stronger community. As one of the premier sponsors of The Big Cheese event, the largest of its kind in the country, EnerSys volunteers joined around 500 participants to package 250,000 fortified meals at Penn State Berks Beaver Athletics and Wellness Center. These meals, distributed by Helping Harvest food bank and the Reading School District, address local food insecurity. EnerSys proudly supports and highlights their commitment to community support through this impactful initiative.

In a global effort following a devastating earthquake that struck southern and central Turkey and northern and western Syria, the EnerSys team supported other global teams in repairing necessary infrastructure – specifically temporary shelters, and water and sewage systems.

Volunteers pack meals for families in need at the United Way of Berks County’s Big Cheese 7 event Friday night at Penn State Berks, Spring Township

Volunteers pack meals for families in need at the United Way of Berks County’s Big Cheese 7 event Friday night at Penn State Berks, Spring Township.

They also collaborated with other partners in the area to help repair communication networks in the region, so those affected can call for help and contact loved ones. The team delivered 470 EnerSys batteries to the region for use with donated solar panels from local solar firms, powering the future, everywhere for everyone.

Thank you, EnerSys, for letting us get to know you better!

Watch this space for other tour stops, as we travel the country sharing details about an industry that provides nearly 45% of the world’s rechargeable energy storage and contributes billions of dollars to our domestic economy. Until then, read about Tour Stop #1 with Hammond Group, Inc., Stop #2 with Crown Battery, Stop #3 with Gopher Resource, Stop #4 East Penn Manufacturing, and Stop #5 ENTEK International.

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