NAATBatt 2023, EV, automotive, onshoring

The future of transportation stands on the brink of a revolution – the shift from the internal combustion engine to cleaner, more efficient electric motors. The EV marketplace is set to grow a whopping 35% over the next 10 years, and today’s governments are scrambling to develop plans for building the infrastructure and raw material supply chains necessary to support it.

While many EVs are already in use today, automakers cannot afford to stand pat. Even now they’re rushing to develop batteries with more storage capacity to drive longer distances. Given China controls more than 65% of the world’s stockpile of lithium, alternative battery configurations using zinc and other elements are also being considered. Then, there’s the problem with recycling to consider – in coming years as more and more EV batteries reach their end of life, what’s the “greenest” way forward?

NAATBatt International’s annual meeting, which takes place in the United States, is the backdrop against which many of the brightest minds in the EV battery marketplace gather once a year to share research, forge partnerships and answer the industry’s most pressing questions. The goal? To move the electrification of North America securely into the future with a self-sustaining supply chain.

What is NAATBatt?

NAATBatt International is a non-profit trade association that is comprised of companies, associations and research institutions involved with commercializing advanced, electrochemical energy storage technology for emerging, high-tech applications. With the rise of electric cars, scooters and other battery-powered devices, this year’s annual conference was proof-positive that the EV marketplace is experiencing rapid growth. More than 600 attendees registered for 2023’s event – 200 more registrants than last year’s. QAD has sponsored the annual NAATBatt meeting since 2022.

A Message for EV Battery Manufacturers

With winter in the US drawing to a close, QAD’s EV and mobility experts traveled to the Wigwam Golf Resort in Litchfield Park, Arizona, to take part in their second NAATBatt International’s 2023 Annual Meeting appearance. QAD’s core mission at NAATBatt was simple – to inform today’s EV and battery manufacturers, startups and recyclers that its solutions make it the premier technology partner for getting them from prototype to mass production quickly. Today’s supply chain challenges make bringing new products to market – be it a fully realized vehicle or an individual component – complex and daunting. In a rapidly growing and competitive marketplace, companies that plant their flag first survive.

To demonstrate solidarity in helping these emerging manufacturers succeed, QAD officially planted its own flag on the links, opening NAATBatt in grand style – as premier sponsors of the conference’s annual golf luncheon and tournament. NAATBatt 2023 marked the first time QAD’s new logo appeared at a public event, making its debut smartly displayed across the hood of each golf cart. In the evening, the best golfers were awarded trophies by Andreas Bareid, QAD’s Head of EV and Mobility.

The NAATBatt Onshoring Committee

One of NAATBatt’s largest committees focuses on onshoring – assisting and advising battery and battery materials companies located outside North America (predominantly Asia) in establishing manufacturing operations in the United States. The committee is headed by co-chairmen Andreas Bareid and Fred Lee of KTON – a US advisory firm specializing in such ventures. 

On the conference’s opening day, Bareid and Lee, in conjunction with NAATBatt President James Greenberger, announced they would be leading a delegation of NATTBatt members to Korea in order to participate in the upcoming Interbattery event March 15-17 in Seoul. The objective of the delegation is to build bridges and to identify Asian companies coming to North America, giving NAATBatt member companies the chance to learn about future business opportunities, to network with manufacturing leaders and ultimately meet potential future customers.

Before adjourning, Bareid and Lee got consensus from the membership on a monthly meeting cadence for the purpose of identifying foreign companies establishing operations in North America. This would give NAATBatt member companies the opportunity to establish partnerships and business opportunities with foreign companies while facilitating collaboration with each other in order to build robust upstream and downstream supply chains for future EV battery manufacturing projects.

What’s Next?

Besides sponsoring the golf tournament and co-chairing the onshoring committee, QAD sponsored NAATBatt’s annual dinner gala on the evening of the third day. Prior to the conference’s end, the QAD team conveyed to the attendees that they would be participating at the upcoming International Battery Seminar taking place in Orlando, Florida, scheduled to take place from March 20-23. The EV Battery community is a tight-knit group of experts and thought leaders that participates in many conferences and symposiums throughout the year. QAD will continue to support EV and battery manufacturers through its many years of technology and thought-leadership expertise for the foreseeable future as the revolution continues to unfold.

Interested to learn how QAD can support your business? Get in touch with us on our website.

LEAVE A REPLY