Thinking Lithium Ion? Think Again

AMIT GHOSAL • March 3, 2026

Running a single forklift or managing a fleet across numerous logistics centres? There may well be a temptation to consider lithium-ion traction batteries for powering those forklifts – after all, it offers the opportunity to charge between shifts or even mid-shift as needed, reducing the planning required to keep your operation running smoothly.

 

But lithium-ion costs more than traditional, proven lead-acid solutions, and it requires expensive changes to your charging infrastructure; it’s quite the commitment.

 

So is there a third way? It turns out there is, thanks to CEIL ORC traction batteries from Espex Batteries Ltd. ORC is a range of lead-acid batteries that offers opportunity charging, just like lithium-ion, without the added expense and within existing charging infrastructure. They’re manufactured to offer:

- Consecutive shifts with one battery

- Extended lifespan (up to 3000 shifts with rapid opportunity charges)

- 1800 cycles (tested per IEC/BS/EN standard)

- Robust construction (same thick tube and spine configuration as regular CEIL traction batteries) for enhanced performance without compromising lifespan

- Two shifts in a row, with rapid opportunity charging

- Researched novel active materials enable rapid recharge @ 0.4CA (40A per 100AH) up to 1 hour

- And at the end of the battery’s life cycle it retains significant scrap value too

 

Espex’s chief executive, Amit Ghosal, comments: “Why follow lithium-ion trends when you can trust the CEIL-ORC legacy? Our 2-volt lead-acid traction batteries deliver the rugged reliability that built the industry, now upgraded with modern opportunity-charging capability to keep your forklifts moving over extended shift timings, up to two shifts.”

 

If you’d like to know more, please call Espex Batteries on 029 2070 5453.

Thanks for a successful IMHX 2025

By AMIT GHOSAL • September 16, 2025
Just a quick note to say thank you to all our customers and new visitors to our stand at this year’s IMHX is Birmingham. We enjoyed a successful exhibition and hope you all did too. If you’ve any follow-up questions about what you saw on the stand, please give us a call on 02920 705453.

Espex Achieves SafeContractor Accreditation

By AMIT GHOSAL • August 13, 2025
Espex Batteries is proud to announce that it has been approved for SafeContractor accreditation. SafeContractor is designed to take the pain out of compliance for organisations, helping them protect their people, their operations, and the planet. The scheme covers the standards that matter most, from health and safety and sustainability to ethical behaviour. “These have long been the values that define Espex Batteries,” explains Chief Executive Amit Ghosal, “but now we’re able to champion them officially to our customers, our prospects and our own staff thanks to the Alcumus SafeContractor scheme.” For more information on SafeContractor, visit the website https://www.safecontractor.com/en-gb/about-us/

Looking ahead to IMHX 2025

By AMIT GHOSAL • July 18, 2025
Just a quick note to say we’re going to be attending 2025’s IMHX exhibition in Birmingham this September. We’re looking forward to displaying our range of forklift traction batteries and chargers, including our incredible rapid-recharge ORC system. It’s a chance to catch up with customers and answer questions from prospects; we’re here to support the UK’s logistics industry. Where : Birmingham NEC, UK When : September 9 - 11 Stand : E-80, Hall 5 See you there!

Automotive batteries - new brochure now live

By AMIT GHOSAL • April 24, 2025
Just a quick update to let everyone know that our Automotive Batteries brochure has now been updated - click here to check it out now.

Leeds warehouse racking installed

By AMIT GHOSAL • March 20, 2025
We're happy to announce our Leeds-based warehouse facility is really taking shape as new racking has just been installed. The facility allows us to better serve customers in the north of the country and greatly increases Espex's overall battery capacity.

Say hello to Espex's fleet additions

By AMIT GHOSAL • March 6, 2025
Espex Batteries is delighted to announce the latest addition to our national service vehicle fleet, helping to serve our customers even more efficiently. What do you think of the new grey colour?

Espex Batteries is entering the automotive/starter battery market!

By AMIT GHOSAL • February 7, 2025
After two successful decades supplying sustainable lead-acid traction batteries and chargers for a variety of materials handling applications, Espex is now preparing to provide starter batteries for electric forklifts as well as the automotive industry. Amit Ghosal, chief executive of Espex Batteries Ltd, commented “Espex is a household name in the world of forklift batteries, helping to keep the UK’s logistics industry running for over twenty years. Due to repeated demand from our customers and taking advantage of our unique position as a supplier of CEIL battery products, we’ve decided now is the time to start supplying a range of starter batteries, too. This will help us further cement out strengths in the logistics industry, providing starter batteries for electric forklifts, but also to step into the automotive industry at the same time.” Exclusive CEIL automotive SLI batteries will be available through a nationwide distribution network from the second quarter of 2025; both normal and high-performance SLI ranges will be launched soon. Keep watching the Espex website for further announcements.

North UK Operation Expanded

By AMIT GHOSAL • June 4, 2024
To further manage increasing demand and better serve our customers across the UK, Espex Batteries Ltd has transferred its Northern operation from Wakefield to Leeds, into a newly upgraded 8500 sq ft warehouse and office facility. The new location grants us capacity for up to 10,000 traction battery cells, allowing us to swiftly and safely assemble them in steel trays using our bespoke mechanised equipment. Espex Batteries’ Chief Executive, Amit Ghosal, commented: “This new location represents a major upgrade to our UK capacity and a symbol of our ambitious growth plans. This is in addition to our current head office in Barry, Wales, where a further 30,000 traction cells are kept in stock for immediate delivery and installation.” Further information to come following the location’s official Grand Opening later in the year. New location details: Unit 1 BizSpace Leeds Amberley Road, Wortley Leeds LS12 4BD Head office: 02920 705453 Leeds office: 02922 677710

Official Opening For New Warehouse, UK Capacity Boosted

By AMIT GHOSAL • September 23, 2023
The newly-constructed warehouse at Espex Batteries’ South Wales HQ has been official opened by a team of Exide Industries directors, as the UK company celebrates its 20th anniversary. Espex Chief Executive Amit Ghosal was joined for the grand opening by Mr Subir Chakraborty, Managing Director & CEO of Exide Industries Ltd. India, the group which own Espex Batteries. Also present at the occasion were Exide-India’s Director Finance and CFO Mr Asish Mukherjee, as well as Director-Industrial Mr Avik Roy. Mr Ghosal commented: “With this added capacity we’re even better positioned to swiftly service the needs of customers in the UK and beyond. We’re looking forward to another 20 years of success.” The new facility brings the HQ’s capacity up to 50,000 traction cells as well as battery trays, battery chargers and all the accessories needed to ensure prompt supply for customers throughout the UK and Ireland.

Drastic Capacity Boost As New Warehouse Comes Online

By AMIT GHOSAL • August 1, 2023
As part of Espex Batteries’ national drive to offer even swifter, better value service to our loyal customers, we’ve just completed work on an additional warehouse at our Barry, South Wales HQ. Fully racked and kitted, the new facility has 700 pallet positions which can hold up to an 20,000 additional traction cells in stock. “Year on year our business is growing and demand for our CEIL traction batteries increases,” explains Amit Ghosal, chief executive of Espex Batteries Ltd, exclusive supplier of CEIL batteries in the UK and Europe. “We have every reason to be confident in the future of British logistics and have therefore augmented our capacity to 50,000 traction cells as well as battery trays, battery chargers and all accessories needed to ensure prompt supply for our customers throughout the UK and Ireland.” Espex Batteries has come a long way since its inception in 2003 and we can’t think of a better way to celebrate our 20th anniversary than with this new warehouse and our pledge to improve the availability of our traction battery systems.