Briggs and Stratton announces strategic supply agreement

Milwaukee-based Briggs & Stratton Corporation recently announced a new strategic supply agreement that will see its Vanguard Commercial Lithium-Ion Battery Packs power golf cars.

Beginning in July, the company will power Ingersoll Rand’s Club Car’s new Lithium-Ion line of Fleet Golf Cars. This product line has some of the most innovative technology in the Club Car lineup. With lithium-ion power, the fleet charges two times faster, reduces energy consumption, requires zero maintenance and has a much longer life compared to traditional lead-acid batteries.

“The Vanguard Commercial Lithium-Ion Battery Pack is unique because of its modular construction. This flexibility, coupled with 110-plus years of power application expertise, allows us to work closely with a wide range of customers and needs, developing a rugged solution that provides the required amount of power and runtime. In addition, we also offer the convenience of product testing and further system refinement in our Power Application Centers,” said Jeff Zeiler, vice president of Product Innovation at Briggs & Stratton Corporation. “Briggs & Stratton and Club Car collaborated for a number of months to develop a solution perfect for powering the vehicles, and we’re excited to say we’ve done it. These cars are packed with plenty of power and will provide an exceptional experience on the golf course.”

“We are enthusiastic about our new collaboration with Briggs & Stratton,” said Rodney Storer, Club Car Integrated Supply Chain leader. “We value the in-depth knowledge and wide experience with lithium technology Briggs & Stratton brings to the partnership. Including their high-quality, automotive-grade battery system in our cars is a big win for Club Car. This battery system can be scaled and used across a broad range of applications and environments. Club Car will benefit from Briggs & Stratton’s speed and nimbleness as a design and supply partner — and, our customers will appreciate the reliability and efficiency of the system and enjoy the enhanced in-car experience that comes with this lithium solution.”

New Advanced Battery Manufacturing facility to begin production

As a result of this new agreement and other rapidly increasing interest, Briggs & Stratton Corporation previously announced it will open a new Advanced Battery Manufacturing facility in Tucker, Georgia.

As of June 10, four production lines will be operational within the new 78,000 square-foot facility, which has capacity to accommodate future growth. This facility is in addition to the current production space located in Milwaukee, which going forward will serve as a developmental facility to support the influx of interested customers in this $12B addressable market, including military, construction, municipal and golf & leisure, in addition to lawn & garden.

“This new facility supports our commitment to investing in high-growth areas of the company, of which driving growth in commercial markets and introducing new enabling technologies, including battery power solutions, rise to the top,” Zeiler said.