Ecobat Battery re-launches as Veloris, and offers some myth busting battery advice

AS IT continues its journey, which began more than 70 years ago, Veloris remains committed to delivering energy with certainty for its many customers across the industrial battery market, supplying them with premium quality products and prominent brands, supporting businesses throughout Europe.

Having divested from the Ecobat Group in June 2025 and owned by Endless LLP necessitated a name change, as well as providing the opportunity to set out a clear strategic vision for the company and its future role in the battery sector.

“After separating from an industrial group, we are now free to pursue our own priorities,” explained Veloris’ CEO, Russell McBurnie, “and by regaining our independence, we are reenergised and able to use the skill, knowledge and experience embedded in the business, to drive growth and fulfil our potential.

“Although the Veloris name is new, our commitment to delivering exceptional service standards and to add value to our diverse customer base remains the constant. Over many decades we have built on these foundations and they have served us well as we’ve developed lasting relationships with both supply partners and our many valued customers.”

Among the many brands Veloris supplies to the industrial sector are E-Drive, Rolls Battery, Sonnenschein and US Battery, as well as chargers from Fronius and SPE. However, it is the company’s combined power storage expertise and team of service engineers that provides the added value and support required to keep capital equipment, such as forklifts, in good working order.

Myth busting battery advice

Tackling misconceptions is another important factor when it comes to getting the best out of industrial batteries, as the answers given by Veloris’ Senior Sales Manager – Industrial, Neil Downing, to the following, often asked questions, make clear.

Q: Are maintenance free batteries always the best choice?

A: Not necessarily. Although maintenance free batteries are an attractive option where access is difficult, for example, and Gel maintenance free cells are excellent in environments such as the food industry because they’re not spillable, which is a major safety advantage, they don’t automatically deliver the best value. The downsides include shorter warranties, higher upfront cost and lower capacity compared to correctly maintained flooded lead acid cells.

Q: Do maintenance free Gel batteries last as long as standard lead acid cells?

A: No. The industry standard warranty for 2-volt flooded lead acid cells is five years, whereas for Gel cells, it’s typically two. This shorter warranty reflects the fact that Gel batteries simply don’t achieve the same service life as properly maintained flooded cells.

Q: Isn’t ‘waterless’ the same as maintenance free?

A: This is another common misconception because waterless batteries still contain water and still require topping up, only less frequently. In addition, because the reduced electrolyte volume in these batteries results in smaller plates, they also deliver a lower capacity for the same cell size. Furthermore, a move to waterless batteries will require a review of the charging regime because they have their own specific charging profile. Therefore, waterless certainly does not mean zero maintenance.

Q: Is the fastest charger available always the best choice?

A: Only if the operation genuinely needs it. This is because fast charging generates more heat and heat is one of the biggest contributors to premature battery failure. If the operation allows for a 12 hour recharge window, then a slower charger is actually the smarter choice. In fact, a gentler charging regime can extend battery life by up to two years.

Q: Do lithium batteries solve all these aforementioned problems?

A: Lithium batteries often bring real advantages such as a long cycle life, fast charging and strong performance. However, they do not provide a universal solution. Although lithium batteries accept charge extremely quickly because of their low internal resistance, should multiple chargers be running simultaneously, this ‘advantage’ can potentially overload a site’s electrical infrastructure. In this scenario, the charging output would have to be reduced, which combined with their high initial purchase cost, could nullify their fast charging benefits.

As these answers clearly demonstrate, the correct battery technology is dictated by the needs of the individual operation. Factors including the environment, duty cycle, access constraints, charging windows and infrastructure all come into play, and every technology has its strengths and limitations. Helping businesses to evaluate these factors and finding the appropriate solution is where Veloris can help.

These are the added value customer service benefits that the company can provide across every sector, because Veloris is more than simply a battery distributor, it is a power storage specialist that is able to consider the requirements, analyse the objectives and deliver the solutions.

In short, Veloris’ overriding objective is to deliver energy with certainty, connect manufacturers to end customers and to provide the best advice and access to new innovations, so demonstrating its position as the battery partner.

For further details, please visit: www.veloris.com