HIGH ENERGY BATTERIES (INDIA)

High Energy Batteries (India) Limited, previously known as Simco Meters Limited was incorporated in September, 1991. The Company is a battery manufacturer with its factory located at Mathur, near Trichy. The batteries are manufactured for use in Indian Army, Navy, Air Force and Launch Vehicles and also manufactures commercial batteries for auto and standby VRLA Applications. The Company was established for manufacture of Silver Oxide Zinc batteries for MIG Aircraft starting and emergency application with the technical collaboration of M/s. Yardney Electric Corporation, USA. HEB Aircraft battery was type tested and approved for bulk manufacture in the year 1981. Over the years, design features and product range for all the three services have been constantly upgraded to suit Indian conditions and improvements in life achieved through in-house R&D. The principal customers of the Company are the Department of Defence Supplies and VSSC / ISRO. The Company requires prior permission from Ministry of Defence for export to other countries. The Defence applications require high reliability products including mid-life upgradation of technology to meet the global challenges and any eventual system obsolescence. Silver Zinc Batteries, Nickel Cadmium Batteries and Silver Chloride Magnesium batteries designed, developed and manufactured by HEB are power sources intended for high-rate critical applications. These batteries are strategic in nature and custom-designed for use in aviation, torpedo propulsion, Satellite Launch vehicles and Army Battle Tanks. The Company was inaugurated on 3 Dec.'79 at Mahtur (Pudukkottai district), Tamilnadu. Trial production started in 1980. Since 1982, HEBL has been carrying out in-house R&D activities to develop other types of silver oxide zinc secondary and primary batteries. HEB R&D Laboratories, established in 1982, moved into its new premises in 1986, about a kilometre from the production plant. As of Dec.'95, HEB's R&D Laboratories has 32 scientists and engineers as its staff. The development work carried out by it so far can be said to mainly span three electrothermal (battery) systems -- silver oxide zinc (primary and secondary), nickel-cadmium and silver-chloride magnesium sea-water batteries. In addition, substantial development work has been devoted to emerging technologies such as the alkaline manganese-dioxide and fibre nickel-cadmium (FNC) technologies. During the year 1996-97, the installed capacity of Silver Zinc Batteries was expanded from 1010000 to 2400000 Ampere Hours. During 1998-99, the company has been accorded with ISO 9001 from M/s Underwriters Laboratories INC., USA. The company have got order worth Rs.5 crores as on May'2000, in the Silver Zinc Battery Division and expect to receive repeat orders for the batteries supplied to Navy. During the year 1999-2000, the company was conferred the National Award instituted by the Department of Defence Production and Supplies for excellence in indigenisation of Defence equipment hitherto. The company has developed a primary battery for missiles developed by DRDL and intiated basic research on Nickel Metal Hydride Batteries. During the year 2000-2001 the company received a order for one type of secondary battery for four numbers which have been executed as per schedule.There is no new order from the Defence Department for the current year and the company expects some new orders as usual for the Defence requirements of the country. The company has developed a secondary version for Naval battery and expects a developmental order for two numbers from the Government.The Developmental activites carried by the company during the year are i) Development of High Rate Silver Oxide Zinc Batteries for underwater propulsion in primary and secondary areas. ii)_ Development of space quality High Rate Silver Zinc Cells. iii) Development of process for treatment of separator systems etc. The company has also upgraded its technology to match the advancement in developed countries. The development of 1kW / 10kWh Vanadium based Flow Battery (VRFB) for OECT, progressed with IIT, Chennai was demonstrated and the project was completed during FY 2021-2022.