PMB Defence sets world leadership in electric batteries at Adelaide's Osborne from Collins submarines 1990s work

The resilience of PMB Defence's world leadership in designing, making and selling electric batteries for clients such as Sweden's SAAB submarines (above) at its Osborne plant  in Adelaide was tested by the French Naval contract to build 12 diesel-electric Attack-class submarines being dropped in favour of the AUKUS nuclear-powered submarines.

PMB Defence grew with South Australia's work in constructing Collins submarines from the early 1990s to be a world leader in the design and manufacture of submarine electric batteries.

PMB (Pacific Marine Batteries) was formed in 1989 from a small Adelaide equipment manufacturer to be the supplier of batteries for the Collins-class submarines built between 1990 and 2003 for the Royal Australian Navy by the Australian Submarine Corporation (ASC).

Its plant at Mersey Road in Osborne, near Port Adelaide and the submarines project site, was opened by South Australian premier John Bannon in February 1991. After 30 years there, PMB Defence moved into new production, research and development and engineering plant at Osborne in the heart of the naval shipbuilding precinct  in 2023.

This move came as the company had to readjust to the French Naval contract to build 12 diesel-electric Attack-class submarines at Osborne being dropped in favour of the AUKUS nuclear-powered submarines. This meant its hopes of growing its business by 300% by winning the Attack-class contract had to be adjusted to the chance of supplying back-up batteries to the AUKUS nuclear submarines. In that, PMB Defence already had the experience of supplying backup batteries for the United Kingdom nuclear fleet.

In 2020, PMB Defence (PMB) won the contract to supply main storage batteries to Saab for Sweden’s next generation submarines and for Canada’s Victoria-class submarines. Building on the knowledge through its continuing work on the Collins-class submarines, PMB Defence grew its business locally and by specialising in lead acid, nickel zinc and lithium battery system solutions.

PMB designed, manufactureed, tested and supported special purpose batteries. PMB supplied all the main storage batteries and ancillary equipment for the Collins-class submarines. It also developed  configuration management services, integrated logistics support services and technical advice. The company's expertise was recognised with the 2021 resilient and adaptive award by the Defence Teaming Centre and 2022 small to medium enterprise of the year in the Australian defence industry awards.

With its new expanded plant at Osborne, PMB Defence set up a presence in the United States of America by buying EnerSys’ submarine battery business there. It also bought the intellectual property rights to the Collins-class submarines from German company Varta, adding to the intellectual property it also owned for the batteries  supplied to Sweden, United Kingdom and Canada.