Ready for the Road Ahead: ROTHENBERGER counts on AMPShare and CAS

The cross-manufacturer Cordless Alliance System (CAS), based on battery technology from Metabo, has been around for four years. Many manufacturers have joined since then, the pipe tool manufacturer ROTHENBERGER is one of the founding members. Now there will be a new cross-manufacturer battery alliance on the market: AMPShare-powered by Bosch. ROTHENBERGER is also a founding member of this association of leading power tool brands. In his interview, Dr. Christian Heine, CEO and Chairman of the Board of ROTHENBERGER, talks about the advantages, significance and future of battery systems and what motivated his company to be part of CAS and AMPShare from the very beginning.

Dr. Heine, what is a cross-manufacturer battery system and what are the advantages?

No manufacturer in the world can be a specialist in all applications. This means that craftsmen work with tools from different brands. As a result, they have to carry different batteries and chargers. With a cross-manufacturer system, the same battery fits machines from different manufacturers. This simplifies work processes significantly, saves effort, but also time and money. Then there is the environmental aspect. Because in total, users have to purchase fewer batteries. Another advantage is that cross-manufacturer battery platforms are future-proof and, as an open system, comparable to an app platform on a smartphone. Many software companies offer apps on these platforms and thus increase the benefits of the users.

We now know that ROTHENBERGER is a founding member of the new battery platform AMPShare. What was the motivation for your company to participate?

AMPShare is a big win for professional users. In terms of the number of batteries on the market alone, the battery system is already taking the lead. Power tools with AMPShare batteries are available in large numbers in many parts of the world. Currently, there are more than 25 strong AMPShare partner companies and more will be added this year. In the future, the number of members will continue to grow and with it the number of compatible tools. By the end of 2023, that will be over 300 cordless tools. The basis for this is the excellent battery technology from Bosch. For me, these are all good reasons to actively support AMPShare.

In 2018, ROTHENBERGER was one of the original three founding members of the CAS battery alliance based on Metabo battery technology. Are you still committed to CAS?

Yes, ROTHENBERGER supports CAS - also in the future. Our customers have the choice between two strong systems. The customers decide which is right for them. Both battery systems have different strengths. AMPShare, with its global reach, is a great lever for our customers. After all, climate change and the associated energy transition are global developments for which they want to be prepared. CAS combines strong brands that are true specialists on one platform. It was never a question for us that there will always be ROTHENBERGER battery tools with CAS interface.

ROTHENBERGER has now already been involved in two formations of cross-manufacturer battery systems. How many more will there be?

We support any push to increase construction productivity through sustainable systems. Cross-manufacturer battery systems are an important starting point and, frankly, long overdue. Battery technology is constantly evolving and at an increasing pace. In the future, however, the number of battery platforms will tend to decrease. The possible energy density of a rechargeable battery is continuously increasing. At the same time, the development costs incurred for each battery platform - for example, certification of new battery cells, new battery technology, new developments in electronics - must be amortized by the number of power tools sold. In addition, batteries in power tools compete with those in electromobility in terms of availability. The rule is: the larger the customer, the more reliable the availability. However, premium technology is expected from premium manufacturers. This means that in the future, not every manufacturer will be able to afford its own battery system.

Do fewer battery platforms mean that in the future competitors will be members of one and the same battery platform?

That is already the case today. At CAS, members are partly in direct competition. As a global specialist for plumbing, heating and air conditioning, we support all fair competition, even as a member of a battery platform. But we also encourage competition between platforms - another reason why we actively support the creation of a new, multi-vendor platform.

A few days ago, Metabo stated that ROTHENBERGER would no longer be part of the cross-manufacturer battery alliance CAS. How does that fit in with your statement that ROTHENBERGER will continue to offer CAS battery tools?

CAS is an open system. This means that manufacturers for machines in the professional sector can join the system. Metabo has obviously been bothered by the fact that ROTHENBERGER will be offering two battery systems in the future, and apparently does not want to accept this. That would not be a good idea, because in the end the user is losing advantages and we are falling back into the days when individual brands try to keep users tied into a closed battery system. As a system provider, Metabo benefits most the more partners the system has - even if they are in competition with each other. As a global specialist, we offer our users the greatest benefit when our machines fit our users' battery system and this is also a sustainable, cross-manufacturer system. That is why we will always support the largest cross-manufacturer systems.

Metabo's press release talks about differences. Can you agree with this?

No, I do not share this view. We have always delivered on our commitments and at no point did we intend not to. Also, other brands within the CAS Alliance already offer multiple interfaces and there are more who are interested in adding multiple interfaces to their tools. There has not been an open dialogue about this topic. In many industries, there are two or three evolved systems that ultimately prevail, just think of Apple and Android. It cannot be in Metabo's interest to want to exclude partner companies from the CAS alliance that want to go on more than one track. I am convinced that the misunderstandings will soon be cleared up and the conflict can be resolved. In any case, that would be the best solution for the industry and our customers.

So what does that mean exactly for ROTHENBERGER's CAS customers?

Nothing will change for our customers. We have contractually secured access to CAS for several years. I am sure that, based on the founding idea, we will continue to develop CAS together. CAS will remain an open, cross-manufacturer battery system. Of course, we will continue to maintain our partnership with Metabo.