All those frozen foods, subscription meal kits, and refrigerated foods and beverages that U.S. consumers increasingly buy, along with pharmaceuticals that need to be kept cold, equate to a need for more cold storage warehousing. Analyst firm Grandview Research pegs the cold storage warehousing sector to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 13.5% from 2021 through 2028.

Some cold storage DCs may opt for automated storage and retrieval systems or other automation to minimize the need for lift trucks. But for many cold storage DCs, electric lift trucks are relied upon to handle goods.

Cold storage is a challenging environment because of the way the cold negatively impacts the normal capacity of a conventional lead acid battery and issues related to condensation when trucks move between cold storage and ambient parts of the facility for battery swaps and charging.

Read the full article in Modern Material Handling

With multiple formats and configurable voltage options, motive lithium-ion batteries that can be retrofitted into existing vehicles and charging infrastructures, without expensive investments in facilities, have become drop-in replacements for lead-acid batteries. Jeff VanZwol, chief marketing at Green Cubes Technology explores the market.

Read the full article in BEST Magazine

Green Cubes Technology has launched MultiVoltage SAFEFlex batteries that can charge at double their output voltage, which can reduce charging time in half.

Green Cubes Technology has launched a full line of MultiVoltage SAFEFlex batteries. Patent-pending MultiVoltage technology enables the battery to charge at double its output voltage, which cuts charging time in half.

Applicable to the material handling market, Green Cubes Technology’s MultiVoltage battery completes a full charge in less than one hour and is offered in 24/48V, 36/72V and 48/96V combinations. It is common for high use and high capacity batteries, such as a large 48V battery, to be charged with two cables to increase the charge current. The MultiVoltage battery utilizes single connector 4/0 cabling in a charge port configuration, which minimizes the chance of cable damage over traditional fast charging with dual cables.

Other than the battery configuration itself, the MultiVoltage battery uses standard chargers and requires no changes to the equipment. Lithium SAFEFlex is the integration of Lithium Iron Phosphate cells, electronics, packaging and a software platform that was designed specifically for the rugged requirements of material handling. The advanced mechanical packaging meets the impact forces of a large forklift.

See the original news article in Material Handling & Logistics

The Li-ion battery industry is rapidly expanding as governments around the world accelerate the energy infrastructure needed to support climate change initiatives. Almost daily, the major news outlets are reporting on the technology in their headlines; from the New York Times “The Auto Industry Bets Its Future on Batteries” and “17 Reasons to Let the Economic Optimism Begin”, which predicts improvements in Li-ion battery technology similar to the predictive improvements in semi-conductors known as Moore’s Law.

Li-ion batteries are finding new applications in markets where they are replacing older lead-acid technology and there is a drive to convert products that previously used internal combustion engines (ICE) to electric power. Motive applications, from fork-lifts to landscape equipment can benefit from increased run-time, decreased weight, higher power, improved safety and environmental benefits of Li-ion chemistry and its variants. The big auto makers are aggressively moving their fleets to electric power and there is a trickle-down effect in other motive applications, from aviation ground support equipment to electric scooters. With the wide-spread adoption of Li-ion technology, there is an improved variety in the chemistries and formfactors available and this is, in turn, enables the implementation of battery technology in a wider range of devices. In this series of blog posts, I will discuss the battery technology available for electric power and address typical concerns and tips for newly implementing these innovations in motive applications. First, let’s review some of the high-level changes to what is available in the market and where the technology and price points are headed.

Li-ion batteries’ first “killer app” was in the consumer electronics market, as a smaller and lighter weight alternative to the Nickel chemistries that powered early laptops. These features of Li-ion spurred the invention of small mobile devices from cell phones to watches and hearing aids. Smaller, mobile industrial devices, from military radios to defibrillators had requirements in common with consumer applications, so they also utilized the same technology. However, only recently has Li-ion technology been adapted and modified for transportation applications from e-bikes to buses. The performance of a cell is determined by a balance of competing and subtle trade-offs that depend on its major components: the cathode, anode, electrolyte, internal cell design and external cell size. The interplay of physical and chemical variables makes it difficult to make a direct or linear correlation between design and performance. The rapid evolution of the market is driving innovation and variety, and the innovation, in turn, is enabling more applications. While the increase in options for form factors and specific chemical formulations provides an exciting opportunity for differentiation, it also brings a lack of stability for supply in terms of longevity and cost. The risks associated with being single sourced for a marginal chemistry variant have gone up in recent years and the market fundamentals of the raw materials used for rechargeable Li-ion cells, and the sourcing of these materials continue to be issues.

Increasing prevalence is most notable in medium-to-large format systems. Some industry experts predicted an eventual decline in the use of cylindrical cells since the consumer electronics applications were getting thinner and thinner and polymer cells. Then the motive, electric vehicle, buses and e-bikes found traction, causing a steep increase in demand for larger sizes and higher power. Of the chemical components, the cathode material has the biggest influence on performance. A divide has occurred in recent years with Lithium Cobalt Oxide (LCO) still being dominant cathode in polymer/pouch cells used in consumer electronics and the so-called “Mixed-metal Oxides” (NMC/NCA), where some proportion of the Cobalt is replaced with Manganese, Nickel, and or Aluminum, now being the cathode of choice for cylindrical (18650/21700) and larger format cylindrical cells. Generally, consumer electronics differentiate with long run-time from high capacity or energy density and faster charge rates, but cycle/calendar life is a lower priority, unlike motive applications, which prioritize cycle life and power delivery.  High-rate cells, which were originally designed specifically for power tools, are now being used in everything from garden equipment to pallet jacks to aircraft tugs. Because of these uses, Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) cathode cells, even in large format prismatic shapes, are finally becoming common-place with price points comparable to the cobalt chemistries and some added benefits. The growth of electric vehicles and motive application is spurring interest in hydrogen fuel cells as an adjacent and complimentary technology. In my next articles, I will compare the new LFP options to their predecessors and discuss the differences between hydrogen fuel cells and the latest battery technologies- always with a focus on motive applications and their unique challenges.

Author: Robin Schneider, Director of Marketing

See the original article in Power Electronics News – page 61

Green Cubes is showcasing Lithium SAFEFlex material handling battery, the most advanced motive power lithium battery for all electric material handling (MHE) Classes 1-3. Lithium SAFEFlex is the integration of lithium iron phosphate cells, electronics, packaging, and a software platform that was designed specifically for the rugged requirements of material handling.

The advanced mechanical packaging meets the impact forces of a large forklift and the rugged automotive-grade Battery Management System (BMS) makes Lithium SAFEFlex the most reliable lithium battery for the material handling industry.

“Enterprise customers can recognize the value of fast charging and long runtimes offered by Li-ion technology with Lithium SAFEFlex batteries,” said Robin Schneider, director of marketing, Green Cubes. “Green Cubes Technology offers innovative technology and comprehensive platforms that ease the transition to green power with a maximum return on investment.”

See the original article in ProMat DX Show Daily

Green Cubes Technology today announced broad company expansion and rebranding to capture the new scope and scale of the company. Green Cubes added North American facilities, established operations in Europe and is expanding product lines for the Material Handling and Data Center markets.

Increasing industrial output and e-commerce is a key factor driving global demand for material handling equipment, and there is continued demand for online data storage that started with digital globalization and is exponentially increasing with the remote workforce. At the same time, green initiatives are gaining public and private support. While the need to decrease fossil-fuel dependency gets attention, green power storage – in the form of Lithium-ion batteries – is a necessary complementary technology.

“Expansion of warehouses and capacity across the globe has been fundamental to the global material handling battery market trends observed in the recent years,” said Christophe Pillot, Partner and Director of AVICENNE Energy. “As organizations recognize the potential to reduce total cost of ownership and meet green initiatives, we will see Li-ion based systems move further into the mainstream, specifically for 24/7 operations where the value proposition of the technology is easily recognized.”

“Our vision is to design platforms to help accelerate the adoption of clean energy technologies to improve enterprise customer performance,” said Keith Washington, President and CEO of Green Cubes. “In a remarkable confluence of events, the growth in both e-commerce and online data storage are timed alongside accelerated demand for green solutions.”

Green Cubes is responding with technology innovation and manufacturing scale to meet these needs on a global level. It recently expanded its engineering and production facilities in Kokomo, Indiana. In addition to the existing facility, Green Cubes added another 36,000 square foot facility. The existing production facility will continue provide Lithium-ion batteries for the mobile medical workstation market, while the new facility houses engineering staff and produces Lithium-ion material handling batteries.

Additionally, Green Cubes established two new facilities in Europe to better serve its growing overseas customer base. A new Technology Center is located in Zurich, Switzerland. This facility currently employs a high-performance team of engineers, with staff coming from Power-One, ABB and BEL Power Solutions. This facility is the center of excellence for data center and network power products, including rack-mounted Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) and power conversion products. Products for the network power market are under development at this Technology Center and will be released in mid-2021. A new Production Center is located near Bratislava, Slovakia. This facility specializes in the manufacturing of battery and power conversion products for European market. Production of medium format Lithium-ion batteries for the material handling and network power market will be operational by the end of Q2, 2021. The new European team includes industry expert Jochen Schumann as Chief Technical Officer for Green Cubes. Mr. Schumann has over 25 years of demonstrated experience in designing high efficiency AC/DC and DC/DC converters, as well as the management of global engineering teams in the power industry.

With the expansion of both North American and European operations, Green Cubes has a global footprint and now has engineering centers in the United States, India and Switzerland and production facilities in the United States, Malaysia, and Slovakia. An updated brand and new website capture the essence of the company.

See the original article in Material Handling Network

Green Cubes Technology today announced broad company expansion and rebranding to capture the new scope and scale of the company. Green Cubes added North American facilities, established operations in Europe and is expanding product lines for the material handling and data center markets.

Increasing industrial output and e-commerce is a key factor driving global demand for material handling equipment, and there is continued demand for online data storage that started with digital globalization and is exponentially increasing with the remote workforce. At the same time, green initiatives are gaining public and private support. While the need to decrease fossil-fuel dependency gets attention, green power storage – in the form of Lithium-ion batteries – is a necessary complementary technology, Green Cubes stated in explaining the drivers behind its growth.

“Expansion of warehouses and capacity across the globe has been fundamental to the global material handling battery market trends observed in the recent years,” said Christophe Pillot, Partner and Director of AVICENNE Energy, a consulting firm that researches the battery market. “As organizations recognize the potential to reduce total cost of ownership and meet green initiatives, we will see Li-ion based systems move further into the mainstream, specifically for 24/7 operations where the value proposition of the technology is easily recognized.”

“Our vision is to design platforms to help accelerate the adoption of clean energy technologies to improve enterprise customer performance,” said Keith Washington, President and CEO of Green Cubes. “In a remarkable confluence of events, the growth in both e-commerce and online data storage are timed alongside accelerated demand for green solutions.”

Green Cubes recently expanded its engineering and production facilities in Kokomo, Indiana. In addition to the existing facility, Green Cubes added another 36,000 square foot facility. The existing production facility will continue provide Lithium-ion batteries for the mobile medical workstation market, while the new facility houses engineering staff and produces Lithium-ion material handling batteries.

Additionally, Green Cubes established two new facilities in Europe to better serve its growing overseas customer base. A new Technology Center is located in Zurich, Switzerland. This facility currently employs a high-performance team of engineers, with staff coming from Power-One, ABB and BEL Power Solutions. This facility is the center of excellence for data center and network power products, including rack-mounted Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) and power conversion products. A new Production Center is located near Bratislava, Slovakia. This facility specializes in the manufacturing of battery and power conversion products for European market. Production of medium format Lithium-ion batteries for the material handling and network power market will be operational by the end of Q2, 2021.

The new European team includes industry expert Jochen Schumann as Chief Technical Officer for Green Cubes. Mr. Schumann has over 25 years of demonstrated experience in designing high efficiency AC/DC and DC/DC converters, as well as the management of global engineering teams in the power industry.

With the expansion of both North American and European operations, Green Cubes has a global footprint and now has engineering centers in the United States, India and Switzerland and production facilities in the United States, Malaysia, and Slovakia. An updated brand and new website capture the essence of the company.

See the original article in Supply Chain Management Review

Green Cubes Technology today announced broad company expansion and rebranding to capture the new scope and scale of the company. Green Cubes added North American facilities, established operations in Europe and is expanding product lines for the material handling and data center markets.

Increasing industrial output and e-commerce is a key factor driving global demand for material handling equipment, and there is continued demand for online data storage that started with digital globalization and is exponentially increasing with the remote workforce. At the same time, green initiatives are gaining public and private support. While the need to decrease fossil-fuel dependency gets attention, green power storage – in the form of Lithium-ion batteries – is a necessary complementary technology, Green Cubes stated in explaining the drivers behind its growth.

“Expansion of warehouses and capacity across the globe has been fundamental to the global material handling battery market trends observed in the recent years,” said Christophe Pillot, Partner and Director of AVICENNE Energy, a consulting firm that researches the battery market. “As organizations recognize the potential to reduce total cost of ownership and meet green initiatives, we will see Li-ion based systems move further into the mainstream, specifically for 24/7 operations where the value proposition of the technology is easily recognized.”

“Our vision is to design platforms to help accelerate the adoption of clean energy technologies to improve enterprise customer performance,” said Keith Washington, President and CEO of Green Cubes. “In a remarkable confluence of events, the growth in both e-commerce and online data storage are timed alongside accelerated demand for green solutions.”

Green Cubes recently expanded its engineering and production facilities in Kokomo, Indiana. In addition to the existing facility, Green Cubes added another 36,000 square foot facility. The existing production facility will continue provide Lithium-ion batteries for the mobile medical workstation market, while the new facility houses engineering staff and produces Lithium-ion material handling batteries.

Additionally, Green Cubes established two new facilities in Europe to better serve its growing overseas customer base. A new Technology Center is located in Zurich, Switzerland. This facility currently employs a high-performance team of engineers, with staff coming from Power-One, ABB and BEL Power Solutions. This facility is the center of excellence for data center and network power products, including rack-mounted Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) and power conversion products. A new Production Center is located near Bratislava, Slovakia. This facility specializes in the manufacturing of battery and power conversion products for European market. Production of medium format Lithium-ion batteries for the material handling and network power market will be operational by the end of Q2, 2021.

The new European team includes industry expert Jochen Schumann as Chief Technical Officer for Green Cubes. Mr. Schumann has over 25 years of demonstrated experience in designing high efficiency AC/DC and DC/DC converters, as well as the management of global engineering teams in the power industry.

With the expansion of both North American and European operations, Green Cubes has a global footprint and now has engineering centers in the United States, India and Switzerland and production facilities in the United States, Malaysia, and Slovakia. An updated brand and new website capture the essence of the company.

See the original article in Modern Materials Handling