Chemstore wins prestigious 2025 BSIF Product Innovation Award

The accolade was officially presented at the British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) Awards, held as part of the Safety and Health Excellence (SHE) Awards on 9  April at The Vox Conference Centre in Birmingham. This annual event celebrates excellence and innovation within the Health and Safety sector, bringing together industry leaders and innovators from across the UK and beyond.

The ionGuard Lithium-Ion Battery Box stood out for the Judges due to its “groundbreaking” design and the fact that this solution addresses the serious risk of lithium-ion battery fires. Given their growing use in electric vehicles and the warehousing, logistics and manufacturing sectors, the hazards posed by damaged or overcharging lithium-ion batteries (including the potential for thermal runaway, toxic gas release and explosions) have become a significant occupational safety concern.

The ionGuard Lithium-Ion Battery Box is designed for the safe handling and storage of potentially hazardous batteries. In high-volume battery operations, it’s common for testing procedures to flag batteries as questionable. Traditionally, these are placed in outdoor exclusion zones as a precaution.

However, the ionGuard offers a safer and more efficient alternative. If a battery were to enter thermal runaway while inside the box, the unit is specifically engineered to contain and mitigate the event.

Use cases

Typical use cases include integrating the ionGuard into production or manufacturing workflows as a dedicated quarantine solution. For instance, if a battery begins overheating during charging or shows signs of physical damage, it can be immediately transferred into the ionGuard for secure containment and monitoring.

The ionGuard boasts a dual-trigger fire suppression system, which can be activated either manually or automatically via heat-sensitive fusible links. This system deploys PyroBubbles, a highly effective and eco-friendly extinguishing agent made from recycled glass granulates. Upon exposure to heat, these granules melt and form an oxygen-impermeable layer, in turn smothering the fire and preventing reignition.

Housed in a durable and steel-reinforced structure with Rockwool insulation, as well as being fully customisable for different battery types, volumes and sizes, the ionGuard seamlessly integrates with existing safety systems, duly offering a scalable, effective and environmentally responsible solution.

The accolade bestowed by the BSIF underscores Chemstore’s ongoing mission to push the boundaries of safety innovation and respond to the real-world challenges industries are facing today.

Mike Brodie, managing director of Chemstore, informed Fire Safety Matters: “We’re absolutely delighted to receive the BSIF Product Innovation Award for Safety. Being recognised for our cutting-edge innovation and technical expertise is a proud moment for the entire team at Chemstore. It reinforces our position as a leader in the domain of lithium-ion battery safety storage and highlights our commitment to developing solutions that protect people, property and the environment.”