A battery is just a battery, right? Wrong! The experts at Procell, the B2B division of Duracell focussed on creating batteries suitable for professional devices , explained to Business Enquirer why its batteries are so much more than Duracell’s iconic branding.
A World First for Batteries
Whilst you will find Duracell batteries in all the major retailers, its ‘for professionals’ brand, Procell, has been exclusively designed to support industry.
Proudly the world’s first battery manufacturer with a dual portfolio for professionals, its solutions primarily support the medical, hospitality, infrastructure, industrial, and security sectors.
“Whilst Procell offers the same battery sizes as the Duracell range, the products have been optimised to suit professional settings,” explained Key Account Manager for UK and Ireland, Christian Oshodin.
Procell’s dual portfolio features its innovative ‘Intense’ and ‘Constant range’.
Procell’s Intense range has been specifically engineered to last longer in high drain professional devices that require a high amount of current to deliver precise pulses. Examples of which would be electronic door locks, soap dispensers, and security cameras.
Meanwhile, Procell’s Constant range batteries have been innovated to offer long lasting performance in low-drain professional devices. These devices, such as smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, motion sensor, remote controls, and wireless mice, require a power output profile built to reliably handle consistent use over a long period, whilst also providing long lasting performance.
“Ensuring that our clients use the right batteries for the right devices and its uses ultimately means that they can save money by replacing less, whilst also reducing waste,” shared Christian.
Procell, which has two divisions – Procell (The Americas) and Procell International (Europe, Asia, and Australasia), has manufacturing facilities in Belgium and the United States, as well as its own warehouse and factory in China.
Innovating for Safety and Performance
“Crucial to our business is working with our clients and understanding their pain points. We can then take this information to innovate products that are fit-for-purpose and provide added value,” said Christian.
With this in mind, the business has worked to embed themselves into their client’s business, testing their devices with Procell batteries to provide cost-benefit analysis.
“By working collaboratively with our OEM customers, we can also help them to tweak their devices to ensure they are performing optimally,” shared Christian.
Initially establishing its relationship with Procell’s US division, Procell International has been supporting its client, Fastenal for three years. A relationship which Christian describes as “fitting like a glove”.
“Our businesses truly align. We’re both focussed on supporting clients to achieve their goals by investing time and money into the correct product which is fit for purpose,” he continued.
Christian credits “quick action” between the two businesses as defining in their partnership.
Working closely with its clients, Procell’s team of innovators are constantly developing its products to suit clients’ needs today and for the future
One of its latest innovations to market is the Procell CR132, part of its Intense range.
The small but powerful Lithiumcell battery is suited to products used in the security sector. Tests prove that the battery performs for up to 49% longer than Procell previous version , and where the product allows, can indicate need for replacement for up to a month in advance. This is useful for time management planning when servicing devices and eningeers time.
In addition, Procell’s CR2032 has shown to be up to 20% more powerful than the competition.
“We’re very proud of the innovations our team has made, which supports our clients to do their jobs more efficiently and more safely,” said Christian.
Considering safety, US data indicates that 3500 people swallow button batteries per year. In the UK, surgeons at Great Ormond Street hospital report are seeing one child a month with corrosive burns caused by swallowing button batteries.
To tackle this, and in an industry first, Duracell/Procell has added a butyrate coating to their batteries, which when tasted sends signals to the brain to immediately eject the battery.
A Full Circle Supplier
By innovating its dual portfolio to create products which reduce the need to be replaced as frequently, Procell’s products are inherently *more sustainable than the competition. (Device dependent)
However, Procell recognises that sustainability must be considered at every touch point.
In the last six months, its facility in Belgium has completed its switch to using 100% renewable energy via implementation of solar panels. It has also reduced its water consumption, and is working toward a target of reducing its carbon footprint by 7-8%.
From a logistics perspective, the company adheres to fulfilling an efficient container fill rate, whilst its packaging is made entirely of recyclable cardboard (except its coin cells which require a plastic layer for safety).
Taking innovation to sustainability, Procell have rolled-out a third party supplied recycling scheme, which also supports the business in becoming a circular supplier.
“We can support our clients in testing and finding the right product, delivering it to them, and then taking away the waste, we use a 3rd party partner to fulfil waste collections” explained Christian, “the batteries can then be repurposed for use in roads, zinc and copper production, and concrete production, for example.
Whilst the recycling scheme has been implemented with key clients, Procell hopes to support more partners in the future to reduce waste as much as possible.
Authentically Building Trust
Christian has had an eclectic professional experience, from coaching football at UEFA level, and teaching SEN and disadvantaged children to taking on account management at Lucozade, and joining Procell in 2020.
“From my experience I’ve learnt that the bottom line is everyone is human. To build trust, respect, and a connection, it’s important to be authentic,” he shared, “my job isn’t to sell a product but to understand my client’s purpose, their pain points, and how Procell can support their business”.
With that in mind, Procell, supported by Christian and his colleagues, are on a mission to educate professional sectors that as much as devices have different purposes, so do the batteries that energise them. A battery is not just a battery
“My favourite comparison is trainers. I’m a huge Nike fan, but I have different trainers for different purposes. If I wanted to go for a hike or run, I’d opt for Nike Pegasus, if I wanted to play basketball I’d wear the pair designed for the purpose – Air Jordan,” explained Christian.
The business aims to test more client products with its Intense and Constant range batteries to build more trust within industry that you can get more from a battery if it is better suited to the device.