ACTOM, Africa’s largest manufacturer, repairer and distributor of electro-mechanical equipment, has completed the acquisition of JUEL Batteries, signalling its expansion into the lithium-ion battery energy‑storage space.
Richard von Moltke, General Manager at Static Power (a division of ACTOM), explains that the company had been operating in the battery space for more than 56 years, primarily focused on industrial lead‑acid and nickel‑cadmium (NiCd) technologies.
“For many decades, these technologies served the market well, but over the past five or six years, as lithium-ion entered the mainstream market, it became clear that a major transition was underway, even within our industrial sector. Customers were moving away from traditional lead-acid and NiCd solutions, and we needed to evolve with that shift,” he explains.
“Recognising the need to stay competitive and support our existing business, we knew it was essential to introduce a lithium‑ion battery offering. This triggered an intensive evaluation process, during which JUEL Batteries (based in Johannesburg) quickly distinguished themselves. Their engineering discipline, rigour, and technical depth were clearly operating at a different level.”
Exceptional quality
He notes that JUEL Batteries’ products are exceptionally well‑designed, both mechanically and electrically, with their robustness, attention to detail and engineering integrity standing out in the market.
“Last year, they developed a solution tailored to our 110V industrial needs, and it immediately proved to be a strong fit for our existing standby‑power market. It supports the natural transition our customers are making from lead‑acid and NiCd to lithium,” von Moltke states.
Beyond that, we also recognised a much bigger opportunity to expand into the broader lithium-ion market, particularly the industrial and utility scale battery energy storage systems (BESS). In essence, this acquisition allows us to serve our traditional market more effectively while also positioning us for growth in the rapidly expanding energy‑storage sector. It meets today’s needs and opens the door to tomorrow’s opportunities.”
Following the acquisition, JUEL Batteries will be rebranded as ACTOM Static Energy, which will form an extension of ACTOM’s existing business unit, Static Power.
ACTOM has already invested in additional manufacturing and assembly equipment, and the plant has been relocated to Pretoria West, specifically the ACTOM Power Transformers facility. The site is ideal for this type of business, as it has heavy-duty infrastructure, and state of the art test facilities.
Boosting capacity
“The new equipment we’ve purchased will increase production capacity tenfold, with additional space for future expansion, positioning us to scale quickly as demand grows. Over the long term, this will allow us to make a substantial impact on the South African market, both in standby power and in the rapidly expanding energy‑storage sector,” says von Moltke.
He notes that one of the major advantages of this acquisition is the increase in local content for battery energy storage solutions. Because less than 50% of the final battery value are being imported, ACTOM’s exposure to exchange‑rate volatility will be significantly lower than fully assembled systems being imported.
The acquisition also allows ACTOM Static Energy to participate in the full spectrum of the market – from residential systems to commercial and industrial (C&I) applications, with utility-scale solutions to follow.
“Beyond storage, the acquisition also strengthens our Static Power business by expanding our battery capabilities for standby applications, including large UPS systems. It is an extension of our current portfolio, enabling us to support both traditional standby needs and the fast-growing energy‑storage market. In the larger energy storage market, bankability is key and with ACTOM’s balance sheet and history of 123 years in South Africa, it will provide the necessary comfort to our customers or as we would rather refer to them as energy partners ” von Moltke concludes.
