DC Velocity - June 2019

BY VICTORIA KICKHAM, SENIOR EDITOR

BATTERIES AND CHARGING SYSTEMS
Material Handling

DEMAND FOR A MORE EFFICIENT supply chain is shining a light on today’s warehouse operations, a trend that’s sparking interest in alternative power solutions for industrial trucks. Of those alternatives to the traditional lead-acid battery, one in particular—the lithium-ion battery—has captured the market’s attention.

Experts say productivity is at the heart of the issue, as fleet managers look for ways to work smarter and maximize equipment uptime. But industry adoption of lithium-ion batteries is still far from widespread, as higher acquisition costs and other factors make the technology suitable mainly for operations running large forklift fleets and/or making heavy use of their equipment.

Still, interest is growing, and battery makers say alternative power solutions will soon see wider adoption. That’s why they’re stepping up to the plate with solutions designed to “take away the pain points” customers are experiencing, explains Harold Vanasse, senior director of marketing, motive power Americas, for Reading, Pa.-based battery power solutions provider and battery manufacturer EnerSys, which showcased its new line of NexSys iON lithium-ion batteries and accessories at this spring’s ProMat trade show in Chicago. He emphasizes the ever-present drive to become more productive, reduce downtime, maximize facility space, and minimize battery maintenance requirements.

“There’s one thing driving this trend: the benefits the
technology brings, especially its zero maintenance,” Vanasse
says of the rise of lithium-ion batteries, which unlike their
lead-acid counterparts, don’t require the labor-in-
tensive process of watering. With lead-acid batteries, water
inside the battery is consumed during operation and must
be replenished. Staff must monitor batteries and water
them on a regular schedule, a process that takes time, ded-
icated warehouse space, and equipment. Eliminating those
requirements contributes to a more efficient and produc-
tive warehouse operation, lithium proponents say.

“That’s the drive” behind today’s battery innovations, Vanasse says.

ADVANCEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY AND THE “WOW” FACTOR

You didn’t have to walk too many aisles at the ProMat show to witness the growth in lithium solutions for material handling equipment. The biennial trade show highlights the newest innovations in manufacturing, distribution, and supply chain technology, and this year, dozens of manufacturers featured lithium batteries as well as equipment powered by lithium solutions. The sense of “newness” surrounding the products is bringing a “wow” factor to an industry that has seen little innovation in the last 100 years, industry experts say.