How Celltech Group Supports Customers in a Changing Industry
The battery industry is evolving rapidly, with increasing safety expectations, growing energy demands, and shifting supply chain dynamics. Kim Nikitin, COO of Celltech Group, shares his insights into these challenges and how Celltech is supporting its customers through expertise, global production capabilities, and a strong focus on safety.
Battery Safety: A Core Priority
As battery solutions become more powerful and widespread, ensuring battery safety is more important than ever. At Celltech, this begins with sourcing high-quality cells from reliable suppliers.
“Ensuring the safety of the cells is the foundation of battery production. Therefore, it is crucial for the battery supplier to identify reliable sources for safe cells. This involves conducting audits of cell suppliers, performing continuous testing and verification, and maintaining open discussions with these suppliers. Additionally, access to new technologies is essential, and the supplier must take full responsibility for the cells used in their batteries”, explains Nikitin.
We provide batteries for various industries and applications. A high-quality cell is always the starting point, and with professional system design, we can add multiple safety levels and verifications based on the application’s use and critical nature.
With the number of batteries in use rising, even low failure rates can translate into real risks.
“If the failure rate is one in a million and one thousand batteries are delivered, the risk of experiencing a failure is minimal. If ten million batteries are delivered, that means, on average, we can expect ten failures.”
Celltech takes a holistic approach to battery safety, ensuring not only the safety of the battery itself but also considering logistics, installation, and long-term maintenance.
“Battery safety is a fundamental requirement for us. We cannot supply batteries that are not safe to use. In addition, we pay attention to logistics safety, the safety of the customer’s production, and the safety of battery maintenance. All of these require care and training, which we actively invest in.”
To support this, Celltech operates five in-house test laboratories specialising in battery performance, reliability testing, and failure analysis. The company also collaborates with leading research institutions and ensures compliance with international safety and transportation standards such as UN 38.3, IEC62133, IEC62619 and UL2054.
A Changing Supply Chain Landscape
Battery supply chains have undergone significant shifts in recent years, driven by three main factors: Geopolitical risks, Vulnerabilities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and Sustainability and climate change considerations.
As a result, customers are now paying closer attention to where their batteries are manufactured, favouring suppliers that can provide local production and reliable supply.
“Many of our customers see significantly more risks and try to minimise them by choosing batteries that are manufactured close to their production facilities,” says Nikitin.
With production facilities in Finland, Germany, the UK, Bulgaria, and China, Celltech is well-positioned to support global customers while maintaining regional supply chain flexibility. The company also invests heavily in sustainability, for example, with its Finnish facility holding an EcoVadis Gold Medal for sustainability and full traceability of cells and key components.
Supporting Customers with Increasingly Complex Battery Solutions
As battery systems become more advanced, selecting the right solution requires technical expertise. In the past, simpler battery systems could be purchased off the shelf, but today, most applications demand a customised approach.
“As batteries become more and more complex, it is important in a whole new way that our customers have a knowledgeable contact person on the Celltech side and a competent team behind them who can support them in battery-related questions, understand their needs, and discuss different options,” Nikitin highlights.
Celltech invests close to 10% of its revenue annually in R&D, with over 100 engineers specialising in areas such as battery chemistry, battery management systems (BMS), and quality requirements. The company’s global manufacturing and development capabilities ensure that customers receive expert support tailored to their specific applications.
Conclusion
Battery safety, supply chain resilience, and technical expertise are becoming increasingly critical as the industry evolves. Through its global production network, in-house testing capabilities, and dedicated R&D investment, Celltech Group helps customers navigate these challenges while ensuring high-quality, reliable battery solutions.
With a strong focus on safety, sustainability, and technical collaboration, Celltech continues to support industries worldwide in their transition to more advanced and efficient battery solutions.
