The Heitkamp & Thumann Group announce Sustainability Statement

H&T Battery Components Rechargeable and Britishvolt Collaborate on Battery Cans Made in UK for Automotive Battery Cell Applications

• UK-based Battery technology pioneer Britishvolt and H&T Battery Components Rechargeable (H&T) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding [MoU] to collaborate on battery can supply for automotive applications
• H&T will develop a new battery can production line in Blackburn, UK.
• The news further supports Britishvolt’s vision to create a UK battery ecosystem as it prepares for scale up and volume production of advanced technology battery cells at its Northumberland Gigaplant

Battery technology pioneer Britishvolt intends to collaborate with H&T on the supply of battery cans for advanced technology battery cells for automotive applications, all battery cans supplied to the Northumberland Gigaplant will be produced in the UK.

With over 40 years’ experience, H&T is the largest battery component manufacturers globally, and is a recognized world leader in precision cylindrical battery components for the lithium-ion battery can market.

The battery can producer is part of the Heitkamp & Thumann Group, a leading global company focused on the development and supply of precision-formed components in metal and plastic.

Timon Orlob, Global Chief Operating Officer, Britishvolt:

“H&T is renowned not only for the very high quality of its battery can components, but also for its manufacturing flexibility that enables it to provide bespoke solutions for its customers. Britishvolt’s MoU with H&T gives us the ability to provide our end customers with the battery cans that meet their exact requirements, and also supports our goal of localizing component production as much as possible.”

Sample supply of H&T battery can components is expected to come from its new Center of Excellence in Marsberg, Germany, with production ready cans sourced from the H&T Group’s manufacturing site in Blackburn, Lancashire.

Tobias Ott, President, H&T Battery Components Rechargeable:

“H&T looks forward to engaging with Britishvolt to support the battery project in the UK. Britishvolt, a pioneer focusing on the development of sustainable, low-carbon battery cells is a great partner for H&T who has over 40 years of experience in the mass production of cylindrical battery cans. We will support with UK-based mass production and additionally with research and development out of our new established Center of Excellence in Germany for cylindrical battery can development.”

For further information please contact the H&T Team

View the official Press Release from Britishvolt

H&T Battery Components is proud to be exhibiting at stand 17-518 at the Battery Cells and Systems Expo at the NEC in Birmingham from 29 June – 30 June 2022, which will be hosted by the Faraday Institution, UK Research and Innovation, UK Battery Industrialisation Center and the WMG, University of Warwick.

With over 40 years of battery can production experience and global supply chain partnerships, combined with advanced process technology and in-depth product knowledge, H&T Battery Components is the partner of choice for leading global Lithium-ion battery manufacturers.

H&T Battery Components will be exhibiting our EV rechargeable battery components which includes all major sizes of cylindrical lithium-ion-battery cans (e.g. 2170 and 46xx) as well as the ability to manufacture custom sized components.

Attendees to the exhibition will gain current knowledge on the global battery market, innovations within the industry as well as have great opportunities to generate new business relationships and partnerships.

H&T Battery Components look forward to meeting you at our stand 17-518 and to exchange ideas with international experts from leading battery manufacturers and institutes.

If you would like to arrange a meeting with a member of the H&T Battery Components team or make an enquiry, please contact us.

H&T Battery Components is excited to be exhibiting at booth 6-E41 at this year’s Battery Show Europe, which will take place in Stuttgart, Germany from 28th – 30th June 2022.

The Battery Show Europe will bring together hundreds of participants from the global and European battery industry, to learn and discuss the challenges in the latest developments of Li-ion batteries and other advance battery technologies.

During the exhibition H&T Battery Components will be showcasing our range of cylindrical battery cans. With over 40 years of manufacturing experience in the battery can industry manufacturing and global supply chain partnerships, combined with in-depth product knowledge and advanced process technology, H&T Battery Components is the partner of choice for leading global EV battery manufacturers.

Join us and more than 480+ suppliers to showcase products representing the entire supply chain and connect with over 6,000 attendees in 3 days.

We are very much looking forward to the event and if you would like any more information or make an enquiry then please contact us.

National Battery Day, which is celebrated on the 18^th of February, recognises the impact that batteries have had on our daily lives and how much we rely on them as consumers.

As market leaders within the industry, H&T Battery Components supports National Battery Day and is proud to be a part of the movement that keeps the world fully charged.

Can you imagine a life without batteries? Thanks to batteries we can use our devices such as laptops, phones, watches, flashlights etc. on the go without the need to permanently recharge. We even have the chance to use more sustainable and emission-free ways of transport through the integration of e-bikes, electric cars, trains or planes.

During National Battery Day, we are paying tribute to the renowned scientists who contributed to the remarkable history of batteries which have been in use since the 19th century.

The first preserved example of a battery was found in Baghdad in 1936 in a Parthinian tomb. It was a clay jar, with a copper cylinder around an iron rod. It was estimated to be over 2000 years old!
During his experiments with electricity in the mid-1700s, Benjamin Franklin coined the word “battery” to refer to charged glass plates. Franklin’s work led to a primitive battery called the Leyden Jar. He actually used the charges generated from the jar to treat paralyzed individuals.
In 1800, Alessandro Volta (1745-1827) created a form of battery called “voltaic plates” that generated electrical current. We get our term “volt” (electric potential) from his name. National Battery Day is celebrated on Volta’s birthday every year!

In 1802, William Cruickshank then designed a battery for mass production. The first rechargeable battery was invented by French physicist Gaston Plant in 1859. Afterward, Columbia, the first commercially available battery, was introduced by the National Carbon company in 1896, birthing the 4D battery created for flashlights two years later.

Improvements in battery technology have been nothing short of amazing. The most-used battery in today’s society is the lithium-ion battery, which can be found in e.g. electric vehicles.

Sources: National Today 2022; WTE Solutions 2022; High Touch High Tech 2022.

H&T Battery Components has been recognized by Energizer as Supplier of the Year 2021 for the continued supply of battery components during the Covid-19 pandemic from the H&T operations in Singapore, Waterbury and Dongguan. Through these efforts, Energizer was able to remain flexible to shifts in short-term demand.

The award was presented to the H&T Battery Components management team in person at Energizer’s headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri.

We sincerely appreciate this award and thank the entire H&T Battery Components team for their ongoing contributions, dedication and hard work.

About H&T Battery Components

H&T Battery Components is the world’s largest manufacturer of battery components for the consumer battery market and a fast-growing supplier for the rechargeable battery industry. Strong innovation coupled with proven expertise ensures successful long-term partnerships with the world’s leading battery manufacturers.

About Energizer

Energizer Holdings, Inc. (“Energizer”, NYSE: ENR), headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, is one of the world’s largest manufacturers and distributors of primary batteries, portable lights, and auto care appearance, performance, refrigerant, and fragrance products. The portfolio of globally recognized brands include Energizer, Armor All, Eveready, Rayovac, STP, Varta, A/C Pro, Refresh Your Car!, California Scents, Driven, Bahama & Co., LEXOL, Eagle One, Nu Finish, Scratch Doctor and Tuff Stuff. As a global branded consumer products company, Energizer’s mission is to be the leader in their categories ​by better serving consumers and customers.

Visit www.energizerholdings.com for more details.

H&T Battery Components is proud to be attending the online Virtual Battery Exhibition from 27 April – 3 May 2021, hosted by VDMA Battery Production and FVA GmbH.

With over 40 years of battery industry manufacturing experience and global supply chain partnerships, combined with in-depth product knowledge and advanced process technology, H&T Battery Components is the partner of choice for leading global EV battery manufacturers.

H&T Battery Components will be exhibiting at the show with our range of EV rechargeable battery components which includes all major sizes of cylindrical lithium-ion-battery cans and lid components (18650, 21700 and 46800) as well as the ability to manufacture custom sized components. We also have strong experience in manufacturing a range of custom made prismatic battery cell housings for the global market, for example PHEV2 or PPE.

Attendees to the exhibition will be to gain current knowledge on the global battery market, innovations within the industry as well as have great opportunities to generate new business relationships and partnerships.

Exchanging ideas with international experts from leading companies and institutes via live chats and video conferencing will be a main feature during the virtual exhibition and H&T Battery Components look forward to meeting you there (virtually of course).

If you would like to arrange a meeting with a member of the H&T Battery Component team or make an enquiry, please contact us.

We sat down with H&T Nevada’s Managing Director, Tobias Ott, to discuss 2020 and the challenges the business has faced over the last 6 months. With the economy now re-opening following COVID-19, we also discuss what the future holds for H&T Nevada and what we can expect over the coming months.

Pictured: Tobias Ott, Managing Director H&T Nevada

Hello Toby, thanks for taking the time to speak with us. For those that may not know, please tell us a little bit about H&T Nevada and the products you manufacture?

H&T Battery Components is the world’s largest manufacturer of battery parts for the consumer battery market, as well as the fast-growing rechargeable battery industry. The Group has manufacturing facilities here in the USA, Europe as well as China and Singapore, so we really are a global company.

H&T Nevada, where I am based, specialises in deep-drawn battery canisters in nickel plated steel for the electric vehicle industry. In total the H&T Battery Group manufactures billions of cans and components for the battery market every year.

2020 has been unprecedented in the challenges it brought for businesses. How has the business been impacted by COVID-19?

Naturally, 2020 has been a challenging year and COVID-19 had some impact on us. As an example, we have suffered a number of temporary production shutdowns. Nevertheless, I was positively surprised by our team and our ability to coming back into full operation extremely quickly. We have had several ups and downs, but so have all businesses, but it could have been much worse, so we try and remain positive.

H&T Nevada is part of the Heitkamp & Thumann Group. What benefits/advantages does being part the Group offer you?

In terms of day to day operations, being part of the Heitkamp & Thumann Group is crucial for H&T Nevada. Our presses, which we use to manufacture battery cans, are manufactured by our sister company H&T ProduktionsTechnologie and H&T Tool Design also supplies us with the tooling we need for the presses. Our site is highly inter-linked with other companies within the Group, and dealing with supplies from the same Group does make things easier.

As part of the Heitkamp & Thumann Group we have been lucky enough to have had the added financial security and support throughout our plant closure. Also, the Heitkamp & Thumann Group has supported H&T Nevada to ensure the health and wellbeing of our employees.

A company’s most important asset is its employees? How did the pandemic affect the team at Nevada?

The health of our employees is absolutely paramount to us. We introduced a number of initiatives on site to ensure our team remained safe during this time including introducing social distancing practices, sanitizer stations, and all employees had the correct PPE including face masks.

We also ensured all our employees understood the actions they needed to take should they get any symptoms or test positive for the virus. So far, we have been quite successful with these procedures.

Looking to the future of the business, now that the global economy is slowly reopening what are the biggest challenges facing H&T Nevada and what does the future hold for the company?

We are now back to full production but with any business the biggest challenge will be COVID-19 and the potential for a second shut down. However, no one really knows what will happen in the next six months so for the time being we are concentrating on supporting our customers with our components.

Are there any new and exciting developments ongoing at H&T Nevada you can tell us about?

The main developments at H&T Nevada are based around our increase our production capacities which is happening right now. In addition we are working on several improvements to our processes & equipment also by using H&T Excellence lean program to ensure we continue to meet our customer needs through these challenging circumstances.

What is the one thing you think you have learnt about yourself and H&T Nevada during these last six months?

I think the pandemic has really highlighted to me how crucial teamwork is and how much we rely on each other to create a successful business. I cannot stress enough how important the internal pragmatism and professionalism has been in order to find solutions for problems that we could not have predicted before.

Thank You Tobi

H&T Battery Components Dongguan manufacturing site has been recognized by Duracell China with a Supplier Excellence Award for our continued supply of battery components during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Through our efforts, Duracell China was able to remain flexible to significant shifts in short-term demand, avoid regional shutdowns and maintain global support of increased battery volumes.

Despite facing its own challenges, H&T Dongguan maintained constant deliveries through the combined efforts of our employees and cooperation from our key supply partners. The award was presented via Webex to the H&T Dongguan management team on Tuesday, Sept 29 by the Duracell global procurement team.

We sincerely appreciate this award and thank the entire H&T Dongguan team for their ongoing contributions, dedication, and hard work.

Celebrated every year, National Drive Electric Week is a nationwide celebration to raise awareness of the many benefits of all-electric and plug-in hybrid cars, trucks and motorcycles and will kick off this year on the 26^th September. H&T Rechargeable is a key member of the electric vehicle supply chain and supports the event which brings together many communities within the United States and around the world.

As a producer of battery components and cell packaging for the rechargeable business, H&T Battery Rechargeable is your partner of choice for the development of rechargeable cell packaging solutions. In both cylindrical battery housing and prismatic battery housing formats, H&T Battery Rechargeable components and sub-assemblies are applied in hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles as well as in broadband telecommunication, stand-by-Modules, electricity supply networks, and in markets for mobile end devices.

2020 is the 10^th year of this national campaign and will feature speakers, ‘drive electric’ information, Q&A sessions and much more. If you would like any more information on the event, please visit the following website or contact us for any other queries.

We sat down with H&T Waterbury’s newest member of the management team, Melvin Ireland, who has joined the company as their Lean Manager. In an interesting conversation, we talked to Melvin about his past work experience, why he joined H&T Waterbury and his vision for the next 12 months at the company.

Hello Melvin and welcome to H&T Waterbury, although this isn’t your first time at the company is it?

Yes that is right. I first joined H&T Waterbury in 2005 as an apprentice toolmaker. I completed my 8000 hour apprenticeship and joined the tool service department as a carbide toolmaker.

After your apprenticeship at H&T Waterbury where did your career take you?

I decided in 2012 to make a career change, and left to begin a career as a physical therapist assistant. A very different occupation to being a toolmaker I must admit. In 2015 I began to study for a degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of Connecticut. As part of that I elected to take a number of courses in manufacturing management which rekindled my interest in manufacturing. I am glad to say I have now completed my degree and I graduated this year.

Why did you decide to re-join H&T Waterbury?

Whilst I was undertaking my degree it reignited my passion for business, and manufacturing in particular. I enjoyed my time at H&T Waterbury as an apprentice and toolmaker. What I really liked about H&T Waterbury is the pride everyone took in the company, their roles, and most importantly ensuring their customers received a quality product and service. It seemed the natural place to rekindle my career.

I contacted the company speculatively and was lucky enough to be offered a temporary position as a toolmaker. Whilst I was working as a toolmaker an opportunity to apply for the Lean Managers position came up. I really enjoyed the elements of lean manufacturing I undertook for my degree, so I applied for the role and I was successful in my application and got the job.

Has H&T Waterbury changed much since you last worked at the company?

The company has changed considerable since I left in 2012 with the growth of the business being one of the biggest changes, both in terms of customer base as well as the number of employees. As someone who went through the apprentice scheme, I am also pleased to see that the number of apprentices has increased.

The investment that has gone in to the site also impressed me, particularly with the new manufacturing equipment that includes new presses and cupping machines. As a time served toolmaker I was particularly happy to see there has been a large investment in new CNC machines in the grinding area.

The other major change I have seen is the introduction of the H&T Excellence program which focuses on reducing 10 areas of potential waste across the business. The H&T Excellence Kaizen events are held regularly so we can identify and eliminate these wastes through continuous improvement.

You’ve joined H&T Waterbury as our new Lean Manager. What are you looking forward to most about the role?

I am really looking forward to the challenge of the role, and seeing how we can continue to improve as a business. Internally we visualise H&T Excellence as a bus as the program is a journey. I am hoping to inspire my colleagues to get on the bus and join me on this journey!

What are you hoping to achieve in the next 12 months with the company?

We can’t improve as a business without the full support of everyone within the company. In the first 12 months I want to reinvigorate and educate my colleagues about H&T Excellence and its importance through training and Kaizen events.

H&T Excellence is driven by actions which can be measured by KPI’s. I am looking forward to seeing how we have managed to improve our performance as a company over the next 12 months through our H&T Excellence initiatives and Kaizen events.

Finally Melvin, the last six months have been extremely tough for everyone. What is the one thing you would say you have learnt about yourself?

The USA has been particularly affected by COVID-19. I certainly appreciate my health a lot more and how important it is to take the appropriate measures to protect not only my health but my friends, family and colleague’s health.

H&T Battery Components manufactures billions of battery components every year and is committed to lean manufacturing principles and reducing waste in the production of our components.

As part of the Heitkamp and Thumann Group, H&T Battery Components has adopted the group lean management program called H&T Excellence which aims to create a company culture of continuous improvement and reduction in waste.

The programme has been implemented within H&T Battery Components for many years where kaizen events and training programmes identifying 10 potentials waste areas and lean principles are rolled out to employees every year.

The overall goal is to improve operational effectiveness by eliminating waste, being right first time and reducing costs. The kaizen events are designed to provide a consistent approach to implement operational excellence throughout the H&T Group and all H&T employees undergo an initial training session, which provides them with the essential tools to recognise potential waste in their work.

H&T Battery Components recognises the importance to instil the fundamental factors and importance of lean manufacturing into our company culture which is why H&T Battery employees undertake training through a number of different tasks, concepts and simulations with refresher programmes being rolled out annually.

H&T Excellence is at the heart of H&T Battery Components strategy for continuous improvement and we will continue to keep you updated on our H&T Excellence program activities throughout the year.

With the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, H&T Batteries would like to update our customers and suppliers on the actions we have taken to ensure we continue to manufacture our battery components.

First and foremost, the safety of our workers and employees are of an upmost priority and since the outbreak began, all social distancing measures and local government guidelines were strictly followed. Site management met regularly to ensure safety measures continued to be in place as per the changing situation of COVID-19 whilst ensuring the continuity and security of supply.

Our Alkaline business has been classed as a key business which has continued to manufacture our range of alkaline battery components throughout the pandemic and our supply to those customers has been uninterrupted. Furthermore, our regional plant managers were able to secure government approvals through strict hygienic requirements and social distancing procedures. Therefore, we are especially applauding our teams in Marsberg, Waterbury, Dongguan and Singapore to continuously produce components at a regular pace whilst even taking on additional shifts.

Our site management and executive management team continue to constantly review the situation and will make any changes necessary to how we are operating if needed. The health and safety of our employees is still our number one priority therefore our office employees are working from home and will continue to do so until further notice.

Finally, H&T Batteries would like to thank its employees for their continued support, commitment and work ethic during this unsettling time in order to keep our plants running so we can meet our business demands. We would also like to thank the continued support and dedication of our suppliers and customers that ensure we can keep doing what we do as we get through this unsettling time together.

Above all, health is what matters right now. Please stay safe.

Welcome to the new website for H&T Rechargeable, where you can keep up to date with all the latest news and developments from the H&T Rechargeable team.

After a couple of months hard work behind the scenes we are pleased to launch this new site for our customers, suppliers and employees. We hope you like the design of the new website and you can find all the information you need about our products and services.

We hope you like the new website and all comments and feedback are welcome. Please also let us know if you cannot find the information you are looking for. You can contact the team directly here.