Rotherham chosen for new 500 job battery manufacturing centre

Published 7 March 2023 at 12:00am

Ultimate Battery Co (UBC) has chosen a site in Rotherham to be the home of its first manufacturing plant and innovation centre, which will create 500 highly skilled jobs by early 2026.

The new manufacturing site in Thurcroft will be one of the first new battery manufacturing sites in the UK and will manufacture the next generation of both starter lighting and ignition batteries for vehicles, and energy storage solutions utilising UBC’s patented Duophasic technology. A recruitment drive is underway for various roles in the first of a series of production teams, and recruitment will continue over the forthcoming months as production ramps up.

Production of UBC’s patented and cutting-edge battery modules has started, with the first order being dispatched in March 2023. Currently, the company is making substantial investment in the site to create a state-of-the-art facility. This includes the evaluation and installation of renewable energy solutions. Additionally, UBC have begun their next round of funding.

The company’s Duophasic technology is the distillation of the Ultimate Battery Co ethos and philosophy. It is a custom-developed and patented technology, which uses cutting-edge design allied to innovative materials engineering for both active materials and electrodes. This revolutionary technology has enabled the development of battery systems which offer major performance uplift.

In comparison to traditional battery technologies, UBC Duophasic technology enables more efficient energy storage by doubling energy density for a given weight, or halving the weight while retaining the same energy capacity. Additionally, it enables mix-and-match configurations using a combination of all three elements, offering customers the option of engineering bespoke battery architecture.

The company also offers a licensing model to enable other manufacturers to access its patented technologies and accelerate global adoption.

UBC’s DuophasicCOR battery technology has been developed to address the needs of the passenger transport industry to reduce weight and CO2 emissions. The modular design makes the battery suitable for vehicles of all sizes, from electric scooters to trains and planes.

DuophasicCOR modules enable customers requiring battery-powered solutions to significantly reduce CO2 emissions, lower costs, and enhance performance. All UBC batteries are easy to install, safe, affordable, and chip-free. They are suitable for initial installation or as drop-in replacements.

UBC’s pioneering technology makes these drop-in replacement batteries much lighter than traditional products, thereby reducing weight and CO2 emissions by up to 15Kg.

Additionally, UBC MotoFLO, powered by Duophasic technology, is a revolutionary new power unit for electric vehicles (EVs) which enables rapid charging and longer range through the use of unique and patented EV battery technologies. MotoFLO battery units will make use of existing fuel station and charging infrastructures to reduce disruption and ensure fast take-up. UBC is continuing to undertake research projects with the University of Sheffield’s AMRC and the University of Bradford.

UBC’s innovative battery products are designed for a sustainable economy. Locally-sourced materials with a high recycled content are used and, at end of life, up to 95% of material is recovered for re-use. The manufacturing process is highly efficient and uses innovative techniques to ensure quality and minimise waste. UBC will make use of renewable energy generation across the operations to minimise carbon footprint.

Wanting to address the lack of effective renewable energy storage, UBC has developed DuophasicSTOR. This technology is designed to store generated renewable energy until it is needed, increasing the amount of renewable energy that can be used while eliminating waste.

The new Thurcroft site will also house UBC’s innovation hub team of scientists and engineers, who will focus on bringing the advantages of UBC revolutionary technology into the development of the next generation of power trains for electric vehicles. A key part of the innovation hub will be the rapid prototype centre, reducing product development time from years to weeks for new battery applications.

Maurizio Cunningham Brown, Founder and Global CEO of UBC, said: “The site at Thurcroft is the ideal location for our first facility. It combines the benefits of local industry knowledge, good transport links, and a strong workforce ethic. It is close to our research partnership with the AMRC and The University of Bradford, as well as strongly supporting the commitment from the South Yorkshire MCA to net zero manufacturing. It is a quantum leap for the company and will support the government’s objectives to achieve net zero and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.”

Being a responsible and caring organisation sits at the very heart of The Ultimate Battery Co’s core values and, as such, the company has pledged a proportion of its annual production to help communities in emerging economies.

UBC believes that innovative energy technologies should not be the sole preserve of the richest nations. The company believes in democratising energy and sees energy as the ‘glue’ that helps people to achieve more. A major pillar of UBC, BrightSpark has been created to develop collaborations and initiatives to make that goal a reality.

UBC has relaunched its website with new features, including video content and a comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section. If you have any questions or would like further information about Ultimate Battery Co, please contact them via the website: www.ultimatebattery.com