Burning concerns over lethal lithium-ion battery fires caused by EVs and micromobility equipment like e-bikes and e-scooters, put Packaging and Crating Technologies (PACT®) in the spotlight atthe recent Battery Show in Detroit, Michigan from October 12-15, 2026. Crowds of companies sought out the Watertown, Conn. manufacturer to learn about its proven fire-suppressant product line that mitigates thermal runaway and prevents dangerous and often deadly lithium battery explosions. The largest industry event in North America attracted more than 16,000 attendees from the automotive, medical and aerospace industries, including engineers, business leaders, and innovative thinkers.
"As of early 2026, lithium-ion battery fires are on the rise among micromobility and handheld electronics, causing frequent incidents on land, sea and in the air," said Rodger Mort, chief operating officer at Packaging And Crating Technologies."These fires are nearly impossible to terminate and must smolder out on their own after burning for many hours and days, all while emitting lethal fumes and gases.Our proven innovations are critical safety solutions in protecting both first responders and the public from a major catastrophic event."
Mort explains that PACT® Thermo ShieldTM is a lightweight, paper material that prevents thermal runaway, a phenomenon in which the lithium-ion cell enters an uncontrollable, self-heating state caused by extremely high temperatures, shaking or puncturing.
Specifically, four layers of special ink are applied to a single layer of paper, which is used to wrap each individual lithium-ion battery cell in a module or pack. When PACT Thermo ShieldTM reaches 20 ºFahrenheit, it undergoes a chemical reaction that absorbs much of the heat and releases moisture with a temperature of 60 ºF.
"The paper basically creates a non-toxic moisture vapor cloud, and when the cell starts its thermal runaway and vents gas, the moisture turns it to char and doesn't allow oxygen or other gases back in," said Mort. "The chemistry in the cell creates enough oxygen to keep it burning, but it can't explode.By controlling the internal temperature below 1,436 degrees you don't hit the 1,508 degree threshold where chlorine carbides and acids can form, which are lethal and explosive."
Mort adds that PACT ThermoShieldTM has gone through a wide variety of tests at an internationally recognized facility run by Transport Canada and passed all of them.
Recent items containing lithium-ion batteries that have ignited dangerous fires are electric bikes, scooters, hoverboards, unicycles and electric cars. To address this escalating issue, the company has recently designed a special solution for E-mobility batteries – TR SleeveTM, in which its PACT ThermoShieldTM paper is wrapped around each battery cell to mitigate thermal runaway propagation between them, capable of containing thermal events that heat up to 1,382 °F.
Other features of TR SleeveTMinclude:
·Lean: By adding only .009 inches to each battery cell diameter, TR SleeveTM ensures comprehensive protection without disrupting the overall performance of the battery. It also removes the need for potting materials and other separators regardless of the specific battery design so that cells can be pressed or stacked very tightly. In fact, TR SleeveTMreduces the total size of the battery pack because the space between the battery cells required by alternative thermal runaway solutions is not necessary.
·Verified: In countless tests conducted by independent laboratories including the Canadian Research Lab, VTEC and the Polk County Oregon Fire Center, TR SleeveTM suppressed thermal runaway circulation without any damage to the outside container, escaped toxic fumes or gases or changes in oxygen level.
·Eco-Friendly: TR SleeveTMcontributes to a greener and more cost-effective future by 1) containing thermal runaway that can result in an explosion of smoke, fire, shooting shrapnel, and the release of toxic fumes into the environment and 2) it be reused and safely recycled in landfills when maximum usage is achieved. Additionally, since TR Sleeve eliminates the need for potting materials that typically contain solid resins like epoxy, it makes the recycling process quicker, easier and safer without the threat of cross contamination.
·Versatile: TR SleeveTM works on all cell designs and enables achieving maximum energy density with battery packs for EVs, E-buses, E-bikes, E-scooters, and other modern devices that use lithium-ion batteries.
"We are proud to have developed these powerful innovative safety containment solutions that help protect property and human lives from dangerous and deadly lithium battery fires", adds Mort. "We believe they will become critical gamechangers as lithium battery usage continues to grow worldwide and new micromobility products emerge in the marketplace."
For more information about PACT® and its innovative product line or to see a live demo, visit: https://www.pactthermoshield.com/.
ABOUT PACT®, LLC
PACT®, LLC is a global leader in manufacturing sustainable packaging products for the commercial, industrial and military industries. With more than thirty years of experience, the family business was founded by three green packaging professionals and continues to embrace a green future by designing cost-effective, crates and containers like LiftVans and PleatWrap for the commercial, industrial and military industries,, as well as custom packaging for the aerospace, medical, electronics, tooling, machinery, furniture, fine art and automotive sectors.The company's proprietary PACT® Thermo Shield TM, a sustainable, paper-based packaging material that suppresses and controls lithium-ion battery fires by mitigating thermal runaway, has been repurposed to create TR SleeveTM for the e-bike industry and TR EnvelopeTM,for smaller electronic devices like cell phones. The manufacturer's latest innovation is PACT Lion-XTM, the world's first specialized fire extinguishing agent that instantly contains and destroys deadly fires involving lithium-ion batteries, battery packs and chargers.
The company is a member of the Commercial Relocation Network, the Council on Safe Transportation of Hazardous Materials and the International Association of Movers. It is also a preferred vendor for the US Department of Defense and has been awarded a special permit from the US Department of Transportation for the shipping of lithium-ion batteries, as well as passed the proposed SAE-G-27 test standard.For a full list PACT®'s sustainable packaging solutions, visit www.pactww.com.
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