Costel Trinca, Rombat: “We use 85 percent recycled lead in battery production”

“Circular economy is part of our business philosophy and we have been working in this direction for over 45 years. We are the only battery manufacturer in Romania with a 360-degree integrated system.

In addition to the factory in Bistrita where we produce batteries, we have a factory in Copsa where we recycle used batteries and give products a new life,” Costel Trinca, National Sales Manager, Rombat said at Circular Economy Conference organized by The Diplomat-Bucharest and Sustainability-Today.

Key statements:

• We could not have reached this level of business development without integrating the circular economy into our business strategy and I do not believe that we could develop otherwise in the future.
• The most important material in a battery is lead, a non-renewable chemical element that is toxic to the environment. Our strategy to reuse and recycle raw materials becomes extremely important in this context.
• Estimates show that in the next 40 years, global lead reserves will be exhausted. We use recycled and recyclable materials in our products. We are also very attentive to increasing the reliability of our products so as to increase the lifespan of our batteries.
• On the Romanian market, most batteries have a 2-year warranty. At ROMBAT, we offer products with a 4-year warranty even for cars with start-stop technology. Our premium range batteries have a 3-year warranty, and these things are proof of the trust we have in our products and in the reliability of the batteries produced in Bistrita.
• For a year of activity, we need about 30,000 tons of lead. Of this quantity, 5,600 tons are virgin lead, and the rest are recycled lead. Therefore, we use 85 percent recycled lead in battery production. 44 percent of the recycled lead comes from our factory in Rebat. The remaining 85 percent is recycled lead that we purchase from various suppliers.
• We also have products suitable for electricity storage projects in our portfolio, both lithium-ion batteries and lead-acid batteries. We have partnerships with prestigious manufacturers of lithium-ion batteries and offer such energy storage solutions on the Romanian market.