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Woodridge, IL –December 5, 2016 – Navitas Systems LLC ( www.navitassys.com ), a leading provider of energy-enabled system solutions, energy storage products, and power electronics for commercial, industrial and government/military customers, announced today that has been awarded a contract worth $422,000 and has completed initial deployment of its lithium-ion forklift batteries called StarlifterTM at the DLA’s single largest worldwide site, DLA Distribution Susquehanna, in New Cumberland, PA. The program objective is to evaluate the utility, feasibility, maintainability, and cost-effectiveness of replacing lead-acid batteries with fast-charging lithium-ion deep-cycle forklift batteries in DLA Distribution warehouses to potentially decrease total forklift battery maintenance costs and increase forklift operational readiness and productivity rates. Commercial and government customers alike have for decades utilized lead acid batteries to power electric forklift trucks. While these batteries are relatively inexpensive to purchase, they suffer from a number of significant drawbacks including slow recharging, fading performance while discharging, constant maintenance, and productivity downtime when changing batteries. Given both the historical performance limitations of lead acid, combined with the increased prevalence of fast chargers and new power-hungry AC forklift motors, there is a strong need for a better battery solution, particularly in intensive two and three shift operations and in cold temperature warehouse environments. The Eastern Distribution Center (EDC) of DLA Distribution Susquehanna, PA, is a 1.7 million square feet, high-ceiling building with 122 dock doors and over 322,000 storage locations. Material is moved throughout the main building via 4.5 miles of conveyor lines, 5.3 miles of tow line pulling the 1,100 carts for the Automated Cart System (ACS), and over 400 pieces of conventional, manually-operated forklifts, order pickers, and carts. The EDC operates six days a week with two day shifts. During surges, typically resulting from increased military operations, EDC may operate seven days a week with three […]