When we founded Impact Power Technologies (IPT), we knew we had the knowledge and expertise to build the longest-lasting specialty batteries in the world. We set out to prove it – and we have absolutely succeeded. Within two years of our start date, we were the global leader in lithium polymer batteries for 2-way radios used by first responders. And we were named the #1 Communications Solutions Product of the Year in 2015.
CURTIS QUINTER, PRESIDENT Impact Power TechnologiesIMPACT Power Technologies
Pioneers in longer lasting batteries
The Concept
Capture a share of a huge, fragmented, international market for specialty batteries and portable power systems, by designing, manufacturing and marketing demonstrably better, longer lasting batteries for key niche markets.
The Research
We knew that today’s world runs on portable power. Research showed that the $80 billion worldwide market for batteries is expected to grow exponentially in the coming decade. It also showed a fragmented market, with several niche markets had no leader to compete with the batteries sold by the OEMs. Those markets included:
- Batteries for land-mobile radios used by first responders
- Batteries for hand-held UPC code scanners used throughout the retail and distribution industries and other organizations that depend on portable scanners
- Portable power packs for the military
- Portable power packs for robotic applications
- Other Special Projects designing/developing custom portable power packs
The Plan
One of our managers had been in the battery business previously, running a company that did $19 milion annually and manufactured and marketed a unique product for charging automotive batteries. He held two patents for that product with another pioneer in engineering new battery technologies, who had just left a large, independent battery company. We moved our manager into the position of COO of our new IMPACT Power Technologies and hired the pioneer as President of the firm. He brought along an engineer he had been working with for a decade. We knew the team would be able to develop new batteries that would lead the fieldfields of critical communications, mobile devices and off-grid applications.
The MBA Group Differences
Products -- When we enter an industry, we always shoot for market leadership. IMPACT Power Technologies is no exception. Our initial product line included lithium-polymer batteries that out-performed every other battery on the market for land-mobile radios. Where OEM batteries offer 8-hours of runtime, our IPT LifeSaver Series™ batteries provide 24-48 hours of runtime. Police departments nationwide responded rapidly and in force, with dozens – then hundreds – of departments switching to our product.
The next product line was for portable barcode scanners. IPT Productivity+ Series batteries also outperform both OEM and private label batteries. Major retail chains and logistics companies quickly became our customers, with more converting to IPT every day.
Product development has continued with special projects for the military and robotics firms, with power packs delivering unparalleled runtimes and cycle life.
Marketing and Sales -- As always, we have implemented aggressive marketing and sales to build IPT. We developed a state-of-the-art website as the hub of the marketing program. We then developed and located databases to which we could send a series of direct mail pieces and email blasts, customized for each niche and sub-niche market. We added trade shows, with all the bells and whistles and giveaways. And we were ready to attack the market with a multichannel program that would ensure our markets knew that our batteries ran 3 times longer on a single change – with 3 times the charge cycles – of the OEM battery.
We recruited a team of expert sales people and a group of equipment resellers to get our products into the hands of the right people in the niche markets. We taught them about the battery industry – and about our industry-leading products. We supported them with databases of leads, plus the extensive marketing program described above. The network of sales staff and resellers now runs coast to coast, with specialists in each of our niche markets.
The Results
We are currently exceeding our high sales goals and have achieved a leadership position. Now that we have such strong traction in these niche markets, sales continue to increase at a rapid pace. At the same time, our engineers are working on developing higher-performing products and are expanding the Special Projects Division with custom batteries and power packs for robotics companies, military applications, hospital uses and more. Our sales projections suggest that we can achieve goals that will make us the single strong competitor to the OEMs in our niche markets.