The latest news from BCI 2022 • Naples, Florida, USA • May 1-4, 2022
A Batteries International publication
What’s News East Penn’s CEO Outlines Broad Reach of the Council
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By Mike Halls
Chris Pruitt: Keynote Address
hris Pruitt, CEO of East Penn Manufacturing, gave an upbeat and highly positive start in yesterday’s opening address to kick off BCI’s latest convention. “The past year was a year of recovery — from the pandemic
We are excited by the fact that the federal government has recognized that battery manufacturing is key to America’s success to achieve energy independence.”
and its economic impact,” he said. “Our industry has fared better than most, thanks in large part to our strong domestic manufacturing base, and our strong domestic supply chain — including the key lead suppliers and recyclers.” He said total passenger car battery sales (OE and replacement) were reported by BCI members at nearly 99 million units in 2021, a 43% increase over 2020, with AGM units up more than 28%. Other group sizes are in greater demand. He said BCI has been incredibly busy, working hard Continued on page 3 >
World of Opportunities Awaits Lead Battery Industry, Says Miksad…
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But in Rallying Call to Members, BCI Chief Warns ‘Regulatory Threats Still Out There’
oger Miksad has issued a rallying call for member companies to join the BCI in fending off new US regulatory challenges expected to confront the industry in the months and years ahead. In his regulatory and advocacy
update to the convention, BCI’s executive vice president said yesterday (Monday) there was “a lot going on” in the US that the industry needs to be on its guard about. But he stressed: “We’ve made some significant strides forward.
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“Unlike in the past, where we’ve come to conventions to highlight a long list of threats to our industry, we are now starting to see opportunities — in particular, as the government invests in green
n BCI Head Pruitt Gives Rousing Address on Future Prospects for Lead Battery Industry in Both Near Term and Long Term, page 1-3 n World of Opportunities Awaits Lead Battery Industry, Roger Miksad Outlines the Changing Landscape of Energy Storage, page 1,3,5 n BCI Players Tee Off with a Bang, page 4 n Ukraine Fuelled Energy Crisis Spills over into Lead Price Concerns, New BCI Board Members Ratified, page 6 n The Calm Before The Storm, But not for Long, page 8 n The Great and the Good at BCI, Tales of Alcohol and Enthusiasm from the Opening Reception, pages 10, 11 n Interview: ENTEK’s Clint Beutelschies Discusses the Firm’s Projected Expansion Plans, page 12 n Women in the Global Battery Industry’s O’Brien Commended for ‘Exemplary Commitment and Dedication’ + The News So Far, page 14 n ABC Receives 2022 BCI Innovation Award, the Much Coveted Honor Goes to Bipolar Battery Firm, Advanced Battery Concepts, page 16 n The Last Word: Tales of Darkness, Snappy Dressers on the Greens, Do’ve el Campo da Golf Per Favore? Electrolytes For the Thirsty, The Real Battery Acid Cocktail, The BSJ Guide to Pandemic Greetings, Here Comes the Moaners, The Mystery of Dorian Miksad, pages 18, 19
Continued on page 3 & 5 >
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