A History of Innovation
When Leo Brenna founded Bren-Tronics in 1973, he set out to produce batteries that would deliver reliable power in both military and industrial applications where failure was not an option. From our start in primary batteries, we shifted our focus to secondary or rechargeable batteries in the 1980s. When Operation Desert Storm demonstrated that rechargeables were the answer to meeting the power needs of troops on the ground while reducing their logistics load, we helped lead the way in nickel-cadmium rechargeables.
From those early secondary batteries to today’s lithium-ion systems, we’ve succeeded in engineering solutions that deliver the staying power of primary cell batteries with the extreme reusability demanded by today’s military. We continue to innovate with lithium polymer chemistries and solutions tailored for use with solar cells and fuel cells.
More Reliable and Lower Cost
One of the main benefits of rechargeable batteries is lower cost compared with batteries that must be replaced frequently. We know that cost is key to the success of our products. Yet we also know that our customers cannot afford that lower cost if it comes at the expense of reduced reliability. Rather than designing our systems from the ground up to military specifications, we keep costs low by combining proven off-the-shelf technologies with our innovative solutions, and then ruggedizing our systems to meet mission requirements. The result is systems that out-perform at a lower cost, every time.
One-Stop Power Shop
Our staff of engineers works with our military and industrial customers to engineer solutions for every conceivable application. From research and development to comprehensive testing - including certification, first article, and UN Transportation Safety testing - all the way through manufacturing, we are your partners every step of the way in fielding your application quickly and cost-effectively.
1973 Leo A. Brenna, Vietnam-Era Veteran
When Leo Brenna founded Bren-Tronics in 1973, he set out to produce batteries that would deliver reliable power in both military and industrial applications where failure was not an option. From our start in primary batteries, we shifted our focus to secondary or rechargeable batteries in the 1980s. When Operation Desert Storm demonstrated that rechargeables were the answer to meeting the power needs of troops on the ground while reducing their logistics load, we helped lead the way in nickel-cadmium rechargeables.
1970s
We started battery production in 1973 with strictly primary, one-time-use batteries including the BA-279, BA-270 and the BA-5374/U “lipstick” battery used on survival beacons (and still produced today).
1980s
In the 1980’s we moved into rechargeable batteries utilizing Nickel Cadmium and made products for radios and other devices including the BB-586/U for the PRC-77 Radio and BB-590/U’s for SINCGARS Radios.
1990s
The 1990’s saw an evolution in technology from Nickel Cadmium to Nickel Metal Hydride to Lithium-Ion.
Milestones that decade include:
- First military “smart” charger (it could charge up the most commonly used rechargeable military batteries)
- First Lithium-Ion batteries for military use
- First visual State of Charge Indicator on military use batteries
- Small Business Prime Contract of the Year the U.S. Army Communications Electronics Command, Ft. Monmouth, NJ. This award was for our integral role in the production of military grade batteries used by the U.S. and Allied Troops during the Persian Gulf War from August 1990 through April 1991.
The 2000’s helped to shape the Bren-Tronics that we are today with a growth in engineering and other departments to help support the larger scale products and complete systems we were designing and manufacturing.
Milestones in the 2000’s include:
Award of "Omni Charge" contract from the U.S. Army that lead to the development of many of today’s core products:
- BB-2590/U (~1,000,000 shipped since 2004)
- Soldier Portable Charger (SPC) – true Smart Charger with the ability to add more batteries with software updates
- Vehicle Mounted Charger (VMC) – Used in every Stryker vehicle and other military vehicles where charging your batteries on route to your mission is not only a possibility but a reality
- And many other critical military batteries and chargers
Tremendous growth from Bren-Tronics away from the man-portable, smaller power products into larger power and energy solutions.
Milestones in the 2010’s include:
- 60 kW Hybrid Energy Storage to provide tremendous fuel savings from standard 60k generators
- 6T Military vehicle battery designed and in full rate production. Various versions available including Energy, Power and CCDC GVSC compliant versions
- Home power systems for Sub-Saharan Africa to provide people with no grid true, clean power from solar
We remain the largest Military rechargeable battery supplier for portable use and continue to design cutting edge power and energy solutions for new, critical markets including:
- Direct Energy
- Oil / Gas
- Emergency Preparedness
