Students at Warwick Valley High School in Warwick, New York were shocked to learn how common lithium-ion battery fires are during a presentation by Rodger Mort, COO of Packaging and Crating Technologies (PACT®) in January. The Watertown, Connecticut manufacturer also announced a contest that challenges the high schoolers to come up with a creative name for the latest addition to its fire-suppressant product line.

“After describing our company’s new TR Sleeve battery envelope to my son, he mentioned it to his economics teacher, Mr. Torgersen, who invited us to speak to the class,” says Michael Jackson, partner at PACT® LLC. “As an entrepreneur himself, Mr. Torgersen asked if we would host a competition for the students to engage in the process of an actual product creation.”

The company’s leaders will select the winning name on January 22, 2024. The winner will also receive a prize of $100 gift certificate.

For inspiration, Mort explained how PACT® Thermo Shield prevents thermal runaway, a phenomenon in which the lithium-ion cell enters an uncontrollable, self-heating state caused by extremely high temperatures, shaking or puncturing. The lightweight, paper material with a moisture vapor application lines the envelope to contain this type of fire.

According to the US Consumer Product Safety, lithium-ion batteries have caused 25,000 fires in the last five years. PACT offers American-made solutions to safely transport and recycle lithium batteries that are used to power e-bikes, scooters and hand-held electronics.

For more information, CLICK HERE.