International Battery Names Power & Energy Veteran Dr. Ake Almgren President and CEO
International Battery a manufacturer, designer, and developer of large-format lithium-ion rechargeable cells and batteries, announced the appointment of Ake Almgren as CEO and President.
Almgren brings more than 30 years experience in managing and leading well respected power and energy companies. Prior to joining International Battery, he was the CEO and President of Capstone Turbine Corp., where he successfully brought the company from early stage to a world-leading commercial producer of micro turbines. Prior to Capstone, he spent an accomplished 26-year career at ABB, a worldwide power solutions company. While there, he served as President of various business entities including ABB Power T&D Company Inc., ABB Power Distribution and ABB Power Systems. In these capacities, Almgren led operations from high-volume commodity products to advanced engineered solutions. Before relocating to the U.S. in 1991, Almgren was President of Autoliv, a leading automotive restraint systems company. Under his leadership, Autoliv established a North American presence and expanded product lines including airbags.
"This is an exciting time to advance and bring to market lithium ion batteries for energy storage – a key technology for emerging plug-in vehicles and renewable energy markets," said Almgren. "Developing and producing large format lithium batteries here in the U.S. will help to support the efforts to reduce our carbon footprint and increase our national energy independence."
In addition, the company’s Board of Directors has expanded to include the appointment of Secretary Rodney Earl Slater. "We’re delighted to have Secretary Slater join the Board. He brings invaluable perspective and deep experience, not to mention a genuine combination of enthusiasm and realism to the challenges of bringing new products in to transportation markets," said Almgren. Rodney Slater was Secretary of Transportation under President William J. Clinton, where he passed several historic legislative initiatives during his tenure. After Clinton became president, Slater served as director of the Federal Highway Administration and is currently a Partner in Washington D.C.-based Patton Boggs where he helps clients advance transportation systems of the 21st Century.
"It’s a pleasure to join an American company that is poised to realize many policies I’ve worked on for years, and to bring advanced next-generation technologies to the U.S. transportation markets," said Secretary Rodney Slater. Secretary Slater joins a distinguished Board of Directors including: Dr. Ake Almgren, President of Battery International; Mark Mills (Chairman), a founding partner in Digital Power Capital, a Wexford Capital affiliate; Mark Ascolese, former Vice President, Eaton Powerware division, and current CEO of EDSA; Peter Gross, Vice President Hewlett-Packard and former CEO of EYP Mission Critical Facilities; Jack Keane, retired four-star general and former Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army and a defense analyst; and Thomas Schwartz, retired U.S. Army four star general who commanded the U.S. Army Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea.
Commenting on the company’s development, Chairman Mark Mills said, "International Battery’s Allentown, Pa. factory is the first purpose-built commercial manufacturing of next-generation large-format lithium ion batteries in the United States. The company’s technology was originally based on an exclusive license from an established leading-edge Chinese battery manufacturing company. Today, International Battery has subsequently improved the product and process technologies. The company’s manufacturing process is inherently ‘green’ based on water instead of the common use of large quantities of organic solvent chemicals."
