www.batteriesinternational.com 1

Record attendance as 15 ABC kicks off in styleThe 15th Asian Battery Con-ference kicked off on Wednes-day with every sign that this was going to be a ground-breaker in the history of the event — both in terms of qual-ity and quantity.

“I think they’ve got the per-fect mix for the conference,” one delegate told Batteries In-ternational. “The conference agenda is topical and highly relevant to the battery busi-ness across Asia but — equally important — the quality of the attendees has made this event, once more, the most signifi cant networking opportunity for the industry in the region.”

Mark Richardson, one of the organizers of the conference, said numbers had continued to grow. “In Macau [2009] at-tendance was in the 500s, in Hyderabad [2011] we climbed further and now we’re already just under 700.” Although the organizers have a reputation

in eschewing speculation over numbers a fi nal fi gure when the last registrations are in-cluded on Friday could well show a number in the middle 700s.

“As long as they continue to attract the right kind of dele-gates — as they seem to be do-ing — this has to be a very pos-itive endorsement of the event

and refl ects the importance of our region for the whole en-ergy storage business.”

The geographic picture of the attendees refl ected the global quality of attendees with some 60 countries represented.

The 15ABC kicked off on Tuesday with a welcoming drinks party complete with traditional dancers.

ShowStopper News

The Advanced Lead Acid Battery Consortium is put-ting its head on the line with an audacious test where a Korean auto-mak-er will design and build a super-hybrid incorporat-ing an advanced UltraBat-tery — where a supercap is integrated with a lead acid cell — in direct com-petition in terms of perfor-mance and price with an identically powered lithi-um ion battery.

“It’s the fi rst time ever that a car manufacturer has been modify an exist-ing production vehicle to do such a test,” says Allan Cooper, program manager for ALABC. “In the past we’ve had to do retrofi ts. This breaks new ground everywhere and could be-come the de facto standard for the next generation of stop-start cars.”

In 2011 Cooper was part of the team that helped put the LC SuperHybrid together. The car, demon-strated that a hybrid with an Exide Optima battery using regenerative power and a turbo-boost was substantially cheaper than other hybrids and could give better performance.

Although Cooper would not name the car manu-facturer, Batteries Inter-national understands that this is Hyundai and that the two cars will be dis-played at the Geneva Mo-tor Show in March next year. The fi rst LC Super-Hybrid was showcased at the same show in 2012.

ALABC inhead-to-headlithium test

The lead acid battery industry is facing a new challenge from the increasing uptake of lithium ion batteries — the rising unknown risk of lead acid and lithium ion batteries being mixed in recycling process, according to attendees at the 3rd Secondary Lead Conference that preceded this week’s ABC event.

“This is becoming ever more of a risk to both the recycling in-dustry and the lead acid battery that it serves,” says David Pren-gaman, head of RSR Technolo-gies, the global recycling fi rm.

Another industry veteran warned that it was “a ticking

time bomb. The amount of lith-ium batteries approaching the end of their useful life in e-bikes in particular is going to set a disposal problem that will chal-lenge us all. I’ve already heard of two signifi cant lead acid/lithium events. Given the volume of bat-teries that we need to dispose of, this is an accident waiting to happen.”

The problem is a simple one. Lithium ion batteries are being

produced in confi gurations that increasingly resemble their lead acid counterparts — A123, for example, produces a li-ion SLI battery identical to its lead acid

counterpart, JCI is producing 48V batteries in both lithium and lead that are close to iden-tical and new automotive bat-teries containing both a lithium and lead components are being discussed.

The trouble is that in the fi rst stage of battery recycling, bat-tery cases are smashed ahead of smelting. The result? The poten-tial for a major explosion when lithium is attacked by the sulfu-ric acid from the lead battery.

“Unless we deal with this soon, we’re going to see a ma-

‘An explosion waiting to happen’: lithium battery disposal threat to lead recyclers

The latest news from 15 ABC in Singapore — Asia’s premier battery event | September 2013

Continued on page 3 > Continued on page 3 >

INTERNATIONAL THERMAL SYSTEMS

www.internationalthermalsystems.com email: sales@itsl lcusa.com© 2012 INTERNATIONAL THERMAL SYSTEMS ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

We Focus on Energy forthe Lead Acid BatteryManufacturing Industry.

Partner with ITS for your drying, curing and pasting needs. Contact a

representative today to arrange for an on-site consultation to learn how we

can maximize production efficiencies and minimize energy consumption.

www.batteriesinternational.com

Batteries International • Showstopper News • 15 ABC

3

jor event — possibly with se-vere implications — very soon, and the likelihood of such an event increases with the grow-ing amounts of lithium batter-ies that are being recycled,” says Tim Ellis, a vice president of R&D at RSR Technologies and chairman of the SAE’s Battery Recycling Committee which helps sets standard for the car industry worldwide.

“Given the volumes of SLI batteries that recyclers deal with — in just one of our plants we process 75,000 per day per smelter — it is impossible to hand-sort the batteries that we deal with. The simplest ap-proach would be to introduce a simple color coding mechanism, say, perhaps lithium ion bat-teries are branded red and lead

acid green. It may seem over-simple but it’d be effective.”

However, despite the rela-tive ease in introducing such a system, this is unlikely to be in-troduced soon. The chances of an explosion that would force government intervention — regulation, in other words — is increasing by the day.

The most likely result of regu-lation would be rules enforcing the return of lead acid and lith-ium batteries to battery manu-facturers. “The result of this would be to force a collapse of our free-market system of lead pricing. That’d be disastrous for us all,” says Ellis.

The SAE Battery Recycling Committee working with groups such as ILA and ABR are developing a forum to address these issues between producers, recyclers and the car industry.

Part of the secret behind a suc-cessful conference is always reckoned to be in the venue itself. In the long history of the ABC meetings some of their venues have been outstand-ing — many delegates have fond memories of the singing gondolas fl oating through the waters of the Venetian Hotel in Macau.

And this year, the choice of Singapore’s Shangri-La hotel

has widely been reckoned a masterstroke.

“We appreciate the fact that for ABC to thoroughly refl ect the conference needs of the battery industry across Asia that it has to move from coun-try to country,” one delegate told Batteries International. “But this year’s event has been an exceptional location. This is a world class hotel with facili-ties to match and its central lo-cation both within Singapore and the region has made it a wonderful place to network, to entertain and, of course, to be entertained.”

Mark Stevenson, one of the conference organizers, says that the next ABC is to be held in Thailand. “We’re unsure yet whether it’ll be Bangkok or Phuket — we’re looking to see which will be the better of the two in terms of the choice of hotel and conference facilities but it’ll be held in September 2015,” he says.

Meanwhile, the European Lead Battery Conference — which alternates each year with ABC in holding an equal-

ly prestigious regional-cum-international gathering — will be held in Edinburgh, Scotland in September 2014.

New lithium threat to lead acid industry

Location, location, location — Bangkok or Phuket in 2015?

> Continued from page 1

The move is also contro-versial in that this requires car manufacturers to agree to a new 48V standard — something that not all are, at least as yet, prepared to do. The 12V UltraBattery is not suffi ciently robust enough to provide suffi cient power in all driving situations.

A 48V superhybrid VW

Passat designed by the same team — ALABC working with technology developer CPT, powertrain developer and systems integrator AVL based in Germany, drive belt specialist Mubea and Pro-vector, a battery manage-ment systems fi rm — was exhibited in Vienna this April.

ALABC lithium challenge> Continued from page 1

Inbatec is the world leader in formation

systems with acid recirculation technology

with 175 systems in operation worldwide.

Our formation modules are reliable and

proven and are used by many lead-acid

battery manufacturers around the world.

Your benefi ts:

• Closed formation system allows

complying with MAC values and

environmental regulations

• Precise acid gravity and temperature

control results in very uniform cell-to-cell

voltage

• Shorter formation time means higher

productivity, less space requirement

and lower work in progress / inventory

• Self-contained and independent

modules – to be supplied only with

concentrated acid, demineralised

water, compressed air, electrical power

• Whole acid management is done

inside the module

• Production capacity grows step-by-

step

The Inbatec formation process combines

uniform and repeatable quality with

high productivity and environmental

compatibility. The Inbatec modules –

the benchmark for lead acid battery

formation.

Contact details: Inbatec GmbH

Konrad-Adenauer-Ring 40

58135 Hagen , Germany

Tel.: +49 (0)2331 39650-0

E-Mail: info@inbatec.de

Fax: +49 (0)2331 39650-29

Web: www.inbatec.de

Inbatec GmbHStand 35

www.batteriesinternational.com

Batteries International • Showstopper News • 15 ABC

5

Brian Wilson program man-ager of the International Lead Management Center, was awarded the International Lead Award, on Wednesday at a special ceremony on the fi rst day of the Asian Battery Con-ference.

“This year, the commit-tee has taken a much broader view, particularly in the light of the business we work in and the metal we work with in recognizing the vital role that environmental steward-ship plays in our industry,” said David Wilson, president of the ALABC, who presented the award.

Brian has had a full and in-teresting career. After spend-ing 15 years in the oil business he moved to Britannia Refi ned Metals — part of MIM Hold-ings, the Australian mining fi rm which in turn is now a Glencore company— where over the next 18 years his work spanned smelter opera-tions, industrial relations and human resource management.

“My time there gave me a full insight into the issues that the lead industry faces, and the way it tackles them” he told delegates. “It was a great prep-aration for the huge variety of work we do in the ILMC.”

He was seconded to the ILMC in 1996 from Britannia as program manager where he remains today, tasked with the broad remit to promote the sound environmental man-agement of leadILMC is a key program of the International Lead Association’s Lead Ac-tion 21 sustainability initia-tive.

International remitBrian’s work has taken him around the globe for extended periods, spending months at a time promoting the safe use of lead. Some of these have re-quired intensive work at a lo-cal level involving liaison with governments, local communi-

ties, NGOs among the many that are involved in resolving lead-related issues.

“It’s diffi cult to explain how satisfying the work can be — but also how it can also be heart-breaking,” he says. “One particular example — but it’s just one of many — sticks in my mind. When I was work-ing in Senegal I came across a mother who had lost three children through lead poison-ing. She was part of a small

lead smelting outfi t that was trying to feed her family and eke a subsistence out of bat-tery recycling. I particularly remember that they were a warm, upright family — but all earning less than a dollar a day.

“Although this was just one case of many in the country, following the efforts of the ILMC we can now be thankful that not a single case of lead poisoning like this has hap-

pened since our intervention in 2008.”

In a world used to talk of leadership from the top, Brian has always adopted a colle-giate approach. “Put simply, we don’t enter a country and impose our own ideas of how to remedy any problems they have with lead,” he says. “Al-though, of course, we have solutions in mind. Rather we try to get everyone to fi nd, through our guidance, their own answers to dealing with the challenges that face them.”

And this has required liaisons at all levels of the industry. “Brian has developed a huge body of risk management lit-erature, worked with industry, governments and inter-gov-ernmental organizations to set up practical risk management programs in a wide range of countries,” said David Wilson, when presenting the award.

“And overall he has helped create a better image of the lead and lead acid battery in-dustries by demonstrating that lead can be produced, used and recycled safely and provides enormous benefi ts to society.”

Brian Wilson, an engaging, warm and modest fi gure, says that part of his enjoyment of his job has been to meet and work with “some of the most remarkable fi gures in our industry and related to our work”.

Many tributes and congratu-lations have been made on Bri-an’s award. “I’m delighted to see Brian’s tremendous contri-bution to improving the man-agement of lead recognized by this award,” says Andy Bush, head of the ILA. “His passion and dedication to the work of the ILMC is extraordinary and a great example of the lead in-dustry’s commitment to taking responsibility for its products throughout the world.”

The award was created in 2002 and presented for the fi rst time at the 10th ABC.

International Lead Award goes to ILMC’s Brian Wilson in recognition of his humanitarian and environmental impact

Brian Wilson, an engaging, warm and modest fi gure, says that part of his enjoyment of his job has been to meet and work with “some of the most remarkable fi gures in our industry and related to our work”

www.batteriesinternational.com

Batteries International • Showstopper News • 15 ABC

6

Scenes from an exhibition

Hammond revealed this week at the ABC its new product range of expand-ers designed specifi cally for use in stop-start and micro-hybrid batteries.

“This is the fi rst proven product line specifi cally de-signed for use in HRPSoC — high rate partial state of charge — applications,” says Achim Luisdorf, vice president for product de-velopment at Hammond.

“Our product has been tested by a major automotive fi rm and shows enormous increases in cycling perfor-mance and capacity.”

Hammond reveals new K2 expander

increases in cycling perfor-mance and capacity.”

Prengaman-Cooper test for Malt electrolyteEveryone in the battery world knows that the perfect electro-lyte has to be defi ned by both temperature and dilution. But battery veterans David Pren-gaman and Allan Cooper have taken this one-step further — with a new analytic process to be used in search of the perfect Malt Whiskey taste. And espe-cially useful after a rigorous day of conference presentations.

“We call it the Prengaman-Cooper test,” says David. “It’s a system we’ve devised to fi nd the

optimum taste in a malt whis-ky where we try it with and without water or ice. You’d be surprised at the difference this makes.”

However the perfect mix is still elusive.

“If anything I’ve got a bias in favour of a drop of warm water with the malt,” says Allan. “But drinking it neat has its attrac-tions as does the addition of ice. I’m afraid we may have to test this further before we come up with the defi nitive answer.”

Tim Ellis, head of R&D for RSR Technologies, was ap-pointed the new interim chair-man of the Advanced Lead Acid Battery Consortium at a meeting of this group this week at ABC. Ellis’ appointment needs to be formally ratifi ed by a vote of the ALABC members.

Ellis will fi ll in for Dave Prengaman who has beeb and who is retiring. Prengaman will continue with the ALABC on an informal/emeritus basis.

Ellis told Batteries Interna-

tional: “This is going to be a hard act to follow when you’ve worked with such world-rec-ognized experts as David, Pat Moseley, Bob Nelson, Dave Rand, Allan Cooper, Michael Mayer and Ken Peters.

“These are the godfathers of the lead acid battery industry and have helped create an or-ganization where cooperative research is treated with such passion and dedication — and, of course, where the quality of their research is so high.”

Ellis takes over from Prengaman at ALABC

From left to right: Bo and Anders: from Arctic wastes to Asia’s tropical shores, Källstrom’s fi nest ever hard at work • ITS’ much-loved sales king Jeff de Pietro — in search of the perfect fetuccine • Sorfi n, Mac and Oak sent one of the ABC’s largest delegations: “We take Asia seriously”

www.batteriesinternational.com 7

Full marks to Goonvean Fibres, one of the sponsors of ABC, for their enterpris-ing charity giving at ABC. Faced with a S$1200 bill for hiring a color TV and DVD for two days of the exhibition, John Opie, managing director of the fi rm decided to cut costs and buy the equip-ment instead — and then give it to a local charity.

“Once we’d decided to give the 42 inch color TV away to a worthy cause,” says

John, ”we asked the hotel for their rec-ommendation which turned out to be a school for handicapped children. We’re pleased to be able to help in this way.”

The Hon Evelyn Boscawen, head of the group that owns Goonvean, will be pre-senting the LG LED TV to the charity at 5.30pm on Friday at the hotel.

F ll k G Fib f

Some lie about their age and take years off. Not so Mark Richardson, conference organizer par excellence and one of the

masterminds behind this year’s Secondary Lead and 15 ABC conferences.

He adds them on.

That’s what he assured Batteries Interna-tional when interviewed after his surprise birthday cake appeared in a conference event in Singapore on Monday.

“I always tell people that I’m 40,” he says. “But really I’m in my very early 20s. It’s a tough and demanding life being a confer-ence organizer. Sometimes it shows. And

nobody in the battery business will talk to you until you’re at least 40. Or, fail-ing that, have 30 years experience in the industry.”

Irrespective of his calendar age his closely guarded birth date was discovered by fellow conference mastermind, Mark Stephenson, still only a sprightly 30 some-thing (he says). He organized a surprise cake with a guesstimate of candles this Monday.

“Rats my secret is out!” our birthday boy whispered to Batteries International.

Eyes closed our Mark blew out his 23 candles.

“I’m sorry but killer bees attacked me on the way to the airport.” “Big apologies but I couldn’t come — the dog ate my passport.” “Couldn’t make it, aliens attacked my house and it was school holidays, anyway.”Yes, just three of the feeble excuses heard for the stay-at-homes that won’t share the jet-lag pain for attending one of Asia’s best energy storage events.We thought we’d heard them all till Terry Hartman, a sales exec for Bitrode the battery testing fi rm rang in to say he couldn’t come to Singapore.“Sorry I couldn’t come but I’ve fractured my leg severely when …swimming in the Mississippi.”Talk about a lame excuse. And talk about the hours of photoshop work needed to convince us with these photos.

On your Marks, get set … go

Ttbe

““te

Charitable giving: Boscawen (l) and Opie

Lame excuses

And the greatest of these is charity

Batteries International • Showstopper News • 15 ABC

MAC Continuous Pasting Line

System Manufacturers: Eagle Oxide Services

Indianapolis, Indiana U.S.A. Website: www.eagleoxide.com

Email: eaglesales@eagleoxide.com

MAC Engineering and Equipment Company, Inc. 2775 Meadowbrook Road, Benton Harbor, MI 49022 U.S.A. e-mail: maceng@mac-eng.com / Website: www.mac-eng.com

Asia (Sorfin Yoshimura Tokyo, Ltd.) Japan: E-mail: tokyo@sorfin-yoshimura.jp Europe (Sorfin Yoshimura Paris, Ltd.) France: E-mail: paris@sorfin-yoshimura.fr China (Sorfin Yoshimura Qingdao, Ltd.) China: E-mail: qingdao@sorfin-yoshimura.cn Latin America (Sorfin Yoshimura, Ltd.) New York/U.S.A.: E-mail: sorfin@sorfin.com

Your downstream equipment solution for punched or expanded metal

Uncoiler Paster Divider Flash Dry Oven High Speed Stacker & Rack Handling System