Energy efficiency isn’t a luxury but a key performance driver for busy warehouses and work sites. When industrial equipment batteries experience downtime or require high maintenance, this can quietly erode productivity and profitability. 

Lithium-ion batteries have emerged as game-changers for warehousing, logistics and mining operations throughout South Africa. Coupled with smart battery management systems (BMS) that monitor battery health in real time and fast charging capabilities that support continuous workflows, lithium-ion solutions are built for high-demand environments.

Imtiaz Mahomed Ally, National General Manager of Industrial Power, a division of CFAO Equipment, says battery management systems read battery information to help protect batteries and ensure longer life. 

“That said, not all battery management systems offer the same functionality. The key differentiator is how rapidly the system reacts to prevent unexpected scenarios. Overheating of a battery can result in damage to components if the system does not switch it off quickly enough. This, in turn, has a direct impact on the battery’s life.”

Industrial Power’s lithium-ion batteries are unique in that they are equipped with an electronic switch or ‘e-switch’, which is faster acting than batteries that have a standard relay. The milliseconds it takes to detect an issue and switch off a battery makes the difference between a battery that is well protected or not.

Ally notes that several Industrial Power customers who made the transition to lithium-ion batteries five years ago (when they were first introduced) have noted an overall improvement in productivity. 

“This is because the equipment requires less idle time when switching batteries. With lithium-ion batteries’ fast charging capability, a 30-minute charge can extend to a couple of hours usage, depending on the scope.”

Additionally, opportunity charging during shift changes ensures that operators always have access to fully charged equipment, eliminating the need for mid-shift charging, further improving efficiencies.

Ally cites the example of a local FMCG operation that invested in 32 lithium-ion batteries for its forklift fleet in 2019. “Although the batteries reached the end of their calendar life after five years or 20,000 hours of usage, the average state of health (SOH) of the fleet was 86%. 

“This is 6% higher than what is considered the end of useful life in warranty, which means the remaining useful life of the battery can be extended to between one and three years. By switching from lead acid to our lithium-ion batteries and taking advantage of opportunity charging, the customer experienced longer battery life, more energy delivered per battery and less down time.”

When Industrial Power assesses its customers’ energy needs, it uses a return on investment (ROI) calculator that takes the equipment, maintenance, fuel and down time into consideration to calculate cost and performance. 

“We calculate the difference between using lead-acid versus lithium-ion batteries for our customers. Generally, this results in an estimated 25% to 30% energy saving for lithium-ion batteries due to their higher energy efficiency rating,” explains Ally.

Not only do lithium-ion batteries make greater financial and productivity sense; they support cleaner, more sustainable operations. Zero emissions translate into safer work environments for operators and employees, as well as toxicity-free surroundings for customers in sensitive industries such as food processing and pharmaceuticals.