Industry News

If you are buying packaging for LiBs today, you are operating in a different world than even five or ten years ago. Battery volumes are rising quickly, driven by exponential growth in EVs and energy storage. At the same time, production is becoming more automated, and sustainability requirements are becoming more stringent. For procurement and supply chain teams, the focus shifted from basic protection to precision, durability, and lifecycle efficiency.

Several clear trends are shaping packaging decisions:

• Automation is becoming a baseline More battery plants are moving toward automated handling4 , which means packaging must be consistent. If trays deform, differ from the defined dimensional tolerances, or don’t stack well, it can disrupt a line or slow down material flow.

• Sustainability and circularity Sustainability requirements are becoming more stringent across the globe. Packaging choices are increasingly being assessed for recyclability, reusability and overall environmental impact.

• Rapid Volume Growth Battery production often scales faster than anticipated. Packaging choices made early can either support that growth or force costly redesigns later. Lithium-ion battery production becomes increasingly automated.

• Early Solutions: Foam Trays Initially, battery modules and cell shipments relied heavily on Expanded Polyethylene (EPE) foam trays. These trays were cheap to mold, light, and provided effective protection for sensitive battery components. However, as battery production grew, the downside of foam became harder to ignore. Over time, many companies ran into problems: The trays lost their shape and compress They do not always hold up well and tend to degrade over multiple reuse cycles Large dimensional variation made automated handling more difficult Recycling proved challenging, inconsistent and was dependent on local waste management systems What worked well at low volume often became a constraint at scale. Nefab’s automation trays, made from high-quality materials, are durable and maintain their integrity even with repeated use

• The Shift Toward Engineered Plastic Packaging: As production volumes increased and automation became more common in battery plants, packaging had to do more than just protect parts in transit. The focus shifted to solutions that could hold their shape, last longer in reuse loops and keep performing reliably trip after trip. That’s why more companies stared moving toward rigid plastic packaging, particularly thermoformed and injection-molded solutions.

• Thermoformed plastic trays: a transitional step Thermoforming is a process where a plastic sheet is heated and formed into a shape, such as a tray. For companies, it is an attractive option as it: Holds up better than foam, which supports reuse Usually comes with shorter lead times compared to more complex tooling Reduces material use through recycled content and recyclability. Often the material can be reground... at the end of life to produce new trays (within the “take-back systems6 ”) That said, thermoformed trays still come with trade-offs. Compared to injection-molded design, they are typically less precise and offer fewer design options.

Depending on the setup, thermoforming can also be more manual and may deliver lower output than high-speed molding processes. As a result, thermoforming is often a good fit for mid-volume programs, or as a transitional solution during production ramp-up. Thermoforming (also called vacuum forming) describes the process of heating up a plastic sheet. a plastic sheet is heated until soft, then pulled into shape over a mold using suction. Once it cools, the extra plastic is trimmed off to make the final part. • Injection-Molded Packaging: Built for Scale and Automation For large-scale lithium-ion battery production, injection-molded plastic packaging has become the go-to option. Injection molding produces highly precise, durable trays that hold their shape and perform consistently.

Those are the key requirements for automation and high-throughput operations where even small variations can slow things down. From a manufacturer’s perspective, the advantages are clear: Tight dimensional tolerances that support automated handling High durability across multiple reuse cycles More design flexibility, including complex shapes and features Easy cleaning, making it well suited for closed-loop logistics.

The biggest drawback is the higher upfront costs. However, when evaluated through a total cost of ownership lens, injection-molded solutions often deliver strong returns in high-volume environments by reducing damage, downtime, and operational variability. At that point, the decision becomes less about unit cost and more about long-term reliability and efficiency. Injection molding is a way to make plastic parts by melting plastic and injecting it into a shaped mold. Once it cools and hardens, the part pops out, making it a fast, precise method for producing the same complex part over and over. A good packaging strategy reduces risk upfront, supports smoother operations day-to-day, and avoids costly redesigns in the future. We save resources in supply chains for a better tomorrow.

Meet the NEFAB team at Stand B58 or visit their website for more information.

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Join us on 17–18 June 2026 at Messe Frankfurt, Germany, for the industry’s most influential gathering of recycling companies, critical raw material suppliers, electronics and battery manufacturers, and ITAD specialists. This free-to-attend exhibition and conference grants you the unique opportunity to gain access to 4 co-located shows: E-Waste World Expo, Battery Recycling Expo, Metal Recycling Expo, and ITAD & Circular Electronics Expo. 

The information within the copy was supplied by NEFAB.