Batteries and chargers 42 www.aftermarketonline.net SEPTEMBER 2025 Enva, one of the UK and Ireland’s leading recycling and resource recovery specialists, has said the aftermarket is among sectors that can benefit from its new ‘Battery Safe Box’ — designed for the storage and transportation of waste lithium batteries, including defective units. Capable of storing up to 400kg of lithium batteries and with a maximum capacity of 20kWh, the box is engineered to contain and isolate fires caused by thermal runaway, preventing the spread of flames and ensuring safe handling throughout storage and transit. Enva said Battery Safe Box has received approval from the Vehicle Certification Agency after undergoing rigorous testing, including fire containment and drop tests. It is fully certified to meet UN Dangerous Goods Packing Instruction P911 standards, ensuring safety and compliance during transportation. One of the key features is the box’s gas lift lid, designed with an L-shaped profile to make opening and loading quick and effortless, Enva said. This addresses common challenges posed by heavy conventional containers, reducing the risk of batteries being stored elsewhere due to difficult access. John Henderson, group parts manager at Parks Auto Group, one of Scotland’s largest dealerships and among the first to use the box, said: “As a group with multiple sites across the country, it significantly enhances our risk management and ensures compliance with both our franchise and insurance partners.” Email marketing@enva.com for details. Ecobat Battery, the UK’s largest battery distributor, has long championed the ‘test every battery’ message to independent workshops, not only as a means of tackling problems, but also as a profit opportunity. This reflects the demands that batteries are under, particularly in more modern vehicles, and that they remain the root cause of many roadside breakdowns, One such independent that responded to this challenge was Silver Street Motors in Tiverton, an active customer with Motor Parts Direct (MPD) — an Ecobat customer. At the start of the year, proprietor Steve Webber and MPD’s Tiverton area business development manager, Terry Back, met Ecobat Battery’s Andy Waite to start a testing trial scheme. An Ecobat EBT780 battery tester was provided for the trial, plus Lucasbranded point of sale material, including interior mirror hanging battery test result cards for customers to see the health of their vehicle’s battery. Steve and his team committed to test the condition of the battery of each vehicle that entered the workshop, irrespective of whether it was booked in for a battery-related issue or not. Three months later, the trial was deemed a success. Steve said: “Although we never used to automatically test the condition of the battery when a vehicle came in, and I was initially a little sceptical that it would make much difference, I have to admit to it being a good idea. “I guess like most workshops, I thought it was an unnecessary complication, but in practice the test takes only seconds and can be carried out while other work is being done. “When it comes to the benefits, there is no doubt that by being able to demonstrate to our customers that we’ve tested the battery and then show them whether it’s good, starting to decline or bad, is really good.” The initiative did not mean everyone with a ‘dodgy’ or bad readout automatically wanted a replacement, but enough did — showing that the number of batteries sold increased a lot compared to the same period a year ago. Andy said: “We knew from our research that around 30% of the vehicles that enter the independent workshop need either their batteries recharged or reconditioned, and around 10% need a replacement.” www.ecobatbattery.com/ applications/cars-vans/ Boxing clever for safety Testing trial reaps rewards
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