Columbia, S.C.--The South Carolina Department of Commerce joined Nuvera Fuel Cells and Küsters Zima in announcing a partnership between the two companies. Nuvera Fuel Cells, headquartered in Billerica, Mass., is selecting Spartanburg, S.C.-based Küsters Zima as a manufacturing partner for its hydrogen generation product, PowerTap.
“This project represents the cutting edge of fuel technology and will be the first product of its kind produced in South Carolina,” says Ken Kruse, president and chief executive officer of Küsters Zima.
The Business Services Division at the Department of Commerce, led a partnership effort to connect the business opportunity between Nuvera and Küster Zima. Nuvera contacted the Department of Commerce to seek guidance on what companies in South Carolina might have the resources to execute their hydrogen generation design.
Spartanburg-based Küsters Zima has a strong history in textile manufacturing. The company’s commitment to innovation and custom equipment manufacturing and fabrication made them a good choice to meet Nuvera’s specifications. After an extensive search, Küsters was chosen based on their ability to meet Nuvera’s high quality, low cost, and on-time delivery requirements.
The generators are roughly six ft. by 12 ft. in size and convert natural gas into hydrogen. They will be installed on-site at warehouses and distribution centers to generate cost effective hydrogen that will refill fuel cell-powered forklift trucks.
“The PowerTap PTG hydrogen generator is one of the keys to a positive value proposition for customers converting their forklift fleet from traditional lead acid batteries to fuel cells. Choosing the right manufacturing partner for this product was crucial, and Küsters had the experience and skill set Nuvera required,” says Nuvera’s Prabhu Rao, vice president, operations.
Fuel cells are a natural fit for the high productivity material handling industry, as they provide constant power levels, quick refueling and the elimination of time consuming battery changes.
