Saft batteries maintain power continuity for critical safety systems at Klinikum Bayreuth in Bavaria, Germany Proven reliability was the key factor in Kaufel’s selection of Saft nickel‐based batteries to provide 30 minutes of back‐up power for operating theatre and intensive care systems Paris, October 16, 2013 – Klinikum Bayreuth in Bavaria, Germany, has continued to put its faith in nickel‐based batteries supplied by Saft, the world’s leading designer and manufacturer of advanced technology batteries for industry, to provide back‐up power for critical systems to ensure patient safety in the event of an interruption in the main power supply. This latest project in Bayreuth confirms the growing trend for hospitals in Bavaria to switch to Saft’s proven nickel‐based battery technology to ensure the continuity of safety critical power supplies, with Saft batteries also installed at hospitals in Munich, Neumarkt, Regensburg and Wuerzburg. For Klinikum Bayreuth, Kaufel GmbH & CO KG, a leading manufacturer of emergency lighting products and safety power supply systems, has installed two additional Saft battery systems in a new intensive care department. This followed the success of a previous project in 2010, when Saft battery systems were installed to support the lighting in two operating theatres. Mr Ronald Knop, Kaufel’s battery product manager, said “Ensuring that critical patient systems operate with total continuity is vital to Klinikum Bayreuth, so there could be no compromise in the selection of the batteries for back‐up power. Lead‐acid batteries cost less, but the hospital’s technical department insisted on Saft batteries because of their proven reliable performance and their previous good experience with nickel‐based batteries.” The hospital DIN standard VDE 0100‐710 prescribes that the electricity supply in operating theatres and intensive care rooms must continue without interruption should the main power supply fail. The Saft batteries provide back‐up power for up to 30 minutes, allowing time for the hospital to start its diesel generators and bring them on line. Each of the two most recently installed batteries provides 15 kVA power for systems in intensive care, with the emergency light systems being rated at 5 kVA. The Saft batteries installed by Kaufel are from the SBLE range of nickel‐based block batteries designed for emergency power back‐up and other stationary applications. Unlike lead‐acid batteries that can suffer from ‘sudden‐death’ failure, the SBLE batteries offer a long and predictable service life of at least 20 years, with excellent reliability and low maintenance requirements that help to optimize total cost of ownership (TCO). About Saft Saft (Euronext: Saft) is a world leader in the design and manufacture of advanced technology batteries for industry. The Group is the world’s leading manufacturer of nickel batteries and primary lithium batteries for the industrial infrastructure and processes, transportation, civil and military electronics markets. Saft is the world leader in space and defence batteries with its Li‐ion technologies which are also being deployed in the energy storage, transportation and telecommunication markets. Saft’s 3,800 employees present in 18 countries, its 15 manufacturing sites and extensive sales network all contribute to accelerating the Group’s growth for the future. For more information, visit Saft at www.saftbatteries.com N° 53-13
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### Press contact: Jill Ledger, Saft Corporate Communications and Institutional Relations Director Tel: +33 1 49 93 17 77, e‐mail : [email protected] Marie‐Christine Guihéneuf, Saft IBG Communication Manager, Tel: + 33 1 49 93 17 16, e‐mail : marie‐[email protected] Andrew Bartlett, Six Degrees, Tel: + 44 (0) 1628 480280, e‐mail: [email protected] N° 53-13
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