SIMPOWER: Getting to know our distributor network

Saft batteries and systems are used by customers from across the globe thanks to, in part, an extensive network of partners. By working with this network Saft can better meet the needs of a growing customer base, coupling their expertise and products with the local knowledge and talent of in-country distributors.

One such partner is SIMPOWER, the exclusive distributor for Saft batteries in New Zealand.

Let’s go back to the start, how did SIMPOWER grow to be where it is now?

Chris Simpson, my father, started SIMPOWER in 1994 having emigrated to New Zealand from the UK.

Chris is an ex Saft employee, having worked for Saft for 13 years out of the Hampton factory, so we’ve always had that strong relationship. He worked through multiple departments at Saft; technical support, prototype engineering, supervising manufacturing, design and development for manufacturing equipment, before finishing up in sales. Then in 1993 he decided to set up a battery pack manufacturing company in New Zealand, after visiting here on a couple of occasions with his wife and young son.

We set up a small production line in Auckland, in the garage of Chris’ house, until the business grew to such a point that it was clear we needed to expand into a factory facility.

What was at the heart of that growth?

Well, around the same time, the New Zealand army was looking to partner with a battery manufacturer for the ANPRC77 radio set. They had contacted Chris and using his extensive engineering and pack manufacturing experience, he was able to improve the design by increasing the capacity in the same form factor, and then offer them a battery pack made here in New Zealand. We won that tender, which then lead to orders from the Australian Defence Force and growing SIMPOWER further.

Today we supply most New Zealand government departments, from the Police, Defence Force, Department of Conservation, GCSB, and scientific institutions, to private companies throughout the country with both manufactured packs and plain cells.

How does the Saft range add value to what you offer your customers?

The Saft range is synonymous with quality, this adds value to our customers, many of whom have applications which demand a high degree of reliability, by giving them the knowledge and trust that the cells will work as specified. Many of our customers use Saft primary lithium products in some of the most extreme and harsh environments around the world. Using the Saft PSR (Product Specification Report) service and our strong relationship with Eric (Nadeau) and Valerie (Akerman), we have been able to offer customers solutions that have exceeded their performance expectations.

You must see some very interesting use cases in those harsh environments.

Definitely. Due to our pack manufacturing expertise, we can offer custom one-off solutions for difficult applications. We were approached by one of our customers that needed a way to facilitate data collection in Antarctica - 250m down into the ice. Because of the location, the device has to function for at least 10 years collecting and emitting data.

Furthermore, the only way to get the device down into the hole is to drill, which presented us with a numerous set of problems, including the physical dimensions of such a pack. However, using Saft design guidelines and our own expertise, we were able to provide a solution that was installed and is operating successfully

What sort of trends are you seeing in what your customers are looking for in their batteries?

We are seeing an increasing trend towards customers looking for sustainability and rechargeable options in their IoT applications. We have seen customers moving from D size LiSOCL2 cells and replacing them with paralleled Li-ion or larger LiFePO4 cells to reach similar capacities, despite the drawbacks in temperature related performance, due to the reusability.

One of the biggest trends we are seeing in the New Zealand market at present is not a cell specific attribute, but reliability in the supply chain. We have received increased feedback that competitor products are not able to be shipped out of China due to a change in Chinese shipping regulations, leading to increasing enquires for local suppliers like SIMPOWER that stock the Saft primary lithium range. Primary lithium is unable to be airfreighted into New Zealand and the fact that we are local and can provide product advice, support and supply is invaluable to the New Zealand customer base.

Where do you think New Zealand is in terms of IoT adoption?

New Zealand has been proactive in embracing IoT, with new companies and services opening all the time, the landscape is constantly changing. We are dealing with companies in agriculture, conservation, environmental monitoring, construction, you name it. We have companies that have designed their own devices, to others that use off-the-shelf solutions.

And finally, what’s on the horizon for SIMPOWER?

While there will always be a place for primary lithium solutions, we are seeing increasing numbers of New Zealand customers looking for rechargeable IoT solutions, to both minimise waste and to uphold the New Zealand clean, green image. We anticipate that this requirement will only continue to grow as the industry does. Here at SIMPOWER we’re just continuing to focus on delivering both primary and rechargeable battery solutions that exceed our customer expectations.