What HORIEN Salt Battery Solutions does

HORIEN Salt Battery Solutions (legal entity SoNick S.p.A., headquartered in Montecchio Maggiore, Italy) is the industrial battery business unit of HORIEN Group, manufacturing Sodium Metal Chloride (SMC) cells at its R&D and production facility in Stabio, Switzerland, and selling through eight global Technical Centers in Italy, the U.S., China, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The company, formerly FZSoNick and rebranded in 2024, claims to be the world's largest producer of sodium metal chloride batteries, with over 1 GWh of installed capacity across more than 50 countries and a production capacity of 100,000 cells per year. Its chemistry uses molten sodium, a beta-alumina ceramic electrolyte, and metal-based cathodes operating internally at 250–270°C, hermetically sealed in steel cases, with no thermal runaway risk, zero emissions, and operation from –40°C to +60°C without HVAC.

The product portfolio covers five battery ranges (UP, TL, ST, RW, Z) plus modular accessories (SBS Container up to 64 ST523 cells, SBS Cabinet up to 4 modules), a digital monitoring suite (SMC+Connect gateway, SMC+View diagnostics, SMC+HUB command center), and three tiers of training services. Customers are concentrated in mission-critical infrastructure: Oil & Gas (Eni, Exxon, Chevron, Saudi Aramco, Adnoc), telecommunications central offices and BTS sites, electric utilities (ENEL, A2A, ACEA), rail and metro (NYC MTA, WMATA, Metro de Lima, ATM Milan), data centers (Google-linked projects), and defense (U.S. Navy/DLA Distribution Sigonella). Differentiated certifications include UL9540A, UL1973, IEC 62984, ABS/DNV/RINA marine type approvals, and Telcordia GR63/1089/3176.

The business model is predominantly project-based hardware sales of custom-engineered battery banks, complemented by professional services (commissioning, sizing, repair) and a growing recurring revenue stream from remote monitoring subscriptions. Pricing is quote-based with multi-year contracts. With 49 employees and reported 30% revenue growth alongside 30% client base growth in 2025, HORIEN operates as a high-revenue-per-head specialty OEM targeting safety-critical niches where lithium-ion thermal-runaway risk is disqualifying and lead-acid footprint/maintenance economics are unattractive. Recent strategic priorities include U.S. Critical Power expansion, the Eni Geng North FPSO award in Indonesia, an iron-sodium partnership with Inlyte Energy validated by Southern Company, and a Chloride UPS integration for industrial data center and Middle East markets.

Name

HORIEN Salt Battery Solutions

Legal name

SoNick S.p.A.

Website

https://saltbattery.horien.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

HORIEN Salt Battery Solutions designs and manufactures Sodium Metal Chloride (SMC) battery systems and digital monitoring tools for mission-critical infrastructure in Oil & Gas, utilities, telecommunications, rail, data centers, and defense, with 1+ GWh installed across 50+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Energy Storage Batteries

NAICS

Battery Manufacturing (33591), Battery Manufacturing (335910)

SIC

Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)

akta.pro primary industry

Battery Cells (Li-ion, LFP, Sodium-ion, Lead-acid, NiMH) (IMAGAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Battery Modules & Packs (Industrial/Commercial pack assembly) (IMAGAHAB), Battery Pack Manufacturing & Module Assembly (EUAFABAI)

Keywords

• Sodium metal chloride batteries
• Industrial energy storage systems
• Critical power backup solutions
• Railway battery systems
• Oil and gas backup batteries

Headquarters

HQ city

Montecchio Maggiore (Vicenza)

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Battery Hardware Sales: Sale of sodium metal chloride battery systems including UP Range, TL Range, ST Range, RW Range, and Z Range products. Batteries are sold directly to enterprise customers in Oil & Gas, telecom, utilities, railways, marine, and transportation sectors. Revenue is primarily one-time hardware with long-term monitoring services.
2. Professional Services & After-Sales: Installation, commissioning, planning, engineering, sizing, repair, and maintenance services. Includes training programs at three levels (Entry, Intermediate, Advanced) and remote monitoring services.
3. Monitoring Software & Subscriptions: Remote monitoring, diagnostics, and data reporting through SMC+Connect and SMC+HUB products. Firmware updates, health checks, and digital inspections delivered as ongoing services.
4. Container & Cabinet Solutions: Pre-configured SBS Container (up to 64 ST523 batteries) and SBS Cabinet (up to 4 ST523 modules) solutions for outdoor and industrial energy storage applications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

HORIEN Salt Battery Solutions manufactures and sells Sodium Metal Chloride (SMC) battery systems for industrial energy storage and critical power backup applications. The company offers five battery ranges (UP, TL, ST, RW, Z) targeting Oil & Gas, Utilities, Telecommunications, Railways, Marine, Mobility, and Data Center customers, complemented by remote monitoring hardware/software (SMC+Connect, SMC+View, SMC+HUB) and containerized/cabinet energy storage solutions. Hardware is manufactured at the Stabio, Switzerland facility, with sales and technical support through 8 global Technical Centers.

Product overview

HORIEN Salt Battery Solutions offers a comprehensive portfolio of Sodium Metal Chloride (SMC) battery products for energy storage and backup applications. The core product lineup consists of five battery ranges: UP Range (industrial backup for Oil & Gas, Utilities, Telecom, Railways), TL Range (Telecom and Energy Storage backup with 80-200Ah capacities), ST Range (multi-purpose for Industrial, Residential, and Marine), RW Range ( Railways onboard applications with compact footprint), and Z Range/ZETA (Mobility for commercial vehicles and buses). These are complemented by monitoring solutions (SMC+Connect gateway, SMC+View diagnostics software, SMC+HUB command center), storage accessories (SBS Cabinet and SBS Container), and training services (Entry, Intermediate, and Advanced levels). Formerly known as FZSoNick, the company rebranded to HORIEN in 2024.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SMC Battery Technology: Sodium Metal Chloride battery technology using salt, ceramic, and metal powders for safe and sustainable energy storage
• SMC +View
• SMC +Connect
• SMC +HUB
• UP Range
• TL Range
• ST Range
• RW Range
• Z Range

Products and services

• UP Range Battery range specifically designed for Oil & Gas, Utilities (including Data Centers), Telecommunications, Railways, and other industrial applications requiring reliable backup power.
• TL Range TL Range batteries for Energy Backup applications, available with capacities of 200, 160, 120, and 80 Ah. Suitable for Telecommunications and Energy Storage applications.
• ST Range Battery range designed for Oil & Gas, Utilities, Communications, Railways, and other industrial applications including Residential Energy Storage and Marine use cases.
• RW Range Battery range specifically designed for onboard Railways applications, featuring up to 80% footprint reduction and 3x weight reduction compared to conventional batteries. Operates from -25°C to +65°C continuous.
• Z Range (ZETA) Battery range for Mobility applications including Commercial Vehicles, Buses, and Off-Highway vehicles. Features 140 Wh/kg energy density and integrated BMS with thermal management.
• SMC +Connect Professional-grade battery monitoring gateway providing remote data acquisition, transmission, and real-time visualization of battery parameters. Features RS485 Master with Modbus RTU, 4G LTE/Ethernet connectivity, and TLS/SSL encrypted data transmission.
• SMC +View Windows-based universal interface tool for on-site diagnostics, enabling real-time monitoring, firmware upgrades, parameter configuration, and log extraction for single or multi-battery systems.
• SMC +HUB Advanced command center for managing complex multi-battery systems. Features 13-inch industrial-grade fanless touch PC for monitoring, commissioning, and diagnosing multiple battery units. Supports SAT/FAT data collection and remote assistance.
• SBS Container Container solution for outdoor energy storage applications with up to 64 ST523 Horien batteries. Includes electrical panel, AC panel, PCS, and BMS with 620 VDC battery system suitable for On-Grid, Off-Grid, and Micro-Grid applications.
• SBS Cabinet Cabinet solution for Energy Storage applications, accommodating up to 4 ST523 battery modules. Designed for Marine and Industrial use cases.
• Entry Level Training 2-3 hour introductory training covering product technical and commercial introduction, battery sizing, and product advantages and limitations.
• Intermediate Level Training 4-6 hour training providing general overview of HORIEN Salt Battery characteristics with awareness of relevant functionalities for specific applications. Available online.
• Advanced Level Training 6-8 hour in-depth training covering battery functionalities, alarms, warnings, maintenance tools, BMS replacement, and fuse check/replacement. Conducted at HORIEN HQ Stabio, CH or Customer Facility.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30% revenue increase in 2025 driven by US and Gulf markets
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Inlyte EnergycoreTechnology or Integration · 11 December 2025Strategic partnership for iron-sodium battery technology scaling. HORIEN leverages over 25 years of SMC battery expertise to help scale Inlyte's iron-sodium battery for the U.S. market. Factory Acceptance Test completed December 11, 2025 for first field-ready system. Goal: commercial deliveries of domestically produced sodium battery systems by 2027. Southern Company involved as validation partner.
• Site TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 November 2025Strategic collaboration with Site Technology and Chloride for integration of SMC battery technology with industrial UPS architecture. Joint technical event hosted November 18, 2025 at Grand Hyatt Hotel in Abu Dhabi showcasing next-generation critical power solution combining HORIEN's SMC innovation with Chloride's UPS systems.
• ChloridecoreTechnology or Integration · 18 November 2025Strategic collaboration with Site Technology and HORIEN for integration of SMC battery technology with Chloride's industrial UPS platforms. Partnership presents next-generation solution delivering substantial environmental impact reduction, optimized TCO, and high performance for mission-critical industrial applications.
• Southern CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the largest U.S. energy providers participating in Inlyte Energy partnership validation. Hosted Factory Acceptance Test for iron-sodium battery system in Alabama. First units scheduled for installation at Southern Company's Energy Storage Test Site in Alabama in early 2026. Partnership validates technology for grid resilience and extreme weather support.
• GEFARMcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSystem integration partner for U.S. Navy Sigonella microgrid project. GEFARM managed entire integration of HORIEN storage technology within complex existing system architecture, collaborating with U.S. Navy, Impresa Pizzarotti & C. S.p.A., WOLFF & MÜLLER, and Gecosys Srl. Containerized battery systems with HORIEN technology as core.
• Recycling PartnersminorOthersPartnerships with recycling firms capable of fully recycling HORIEN battery products. Ceramics and salt repurposed for road slag; metallic parts recycled into metal alloys; cells recycled in facilities specializing in stainless steel production waste. Viviez, France facility recovers over 90% of nickel and steel.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SAFT (TotalEnergies): SAFT is a French industrial battery manufacturer (now part of TotalEnergies) specializing in lithium-ion and nickel-based batteries for critical infrastructure, oil & gas, telecom, and rail backup applications. Directly comparable as a competitor in the same mission-critical backup power use cases where HORIEN positions SMC technology.
• EnerSys: EnerSys is a global leader in industrial batteries (lead-acid, lithium-ion, thin plate pure lead) serving telecom backup, UPS, rail, and grid energy storage — directly overlapping with HORIEN's customer segments in telecommunications, utilities, and rail transportation. Comparable in targeting mission-critical backup power applications.
• NGK Insulators: NGK is the historical leader in sodium-sulfur (NAS) batteries for grid-scale energy storage, with similar high-temperature molten-sodium chemistry to HORIEN's SMC. Both target long-duration stationary storage for utilities and renewable integration, making NGK the closest chemistry and application peer.
• Exide Technologies: Exide is a major manufacturer of lead-acid industrial batteries for backup power, telecom, transportation, and grid storage — directly overlapping with HORIEN's core replacement/upgrade markets. HORIEN explicitly positions its SMC technology against lead-acid limitations (footprint, weight, maintenance, cycle life).
• East Penn Manufacturing: East Penn is one of the largest North American industrial battery manufacturers (lead-acid and lithium) serving telecom, UPS, rail, and renewable energy markets. Comparable as a regional incumbent competing in the same backup power and energy storage end markets that HORIEN targets, particularly relevant given HORIEN's 40% US market growth in 2025.

Broad incumbents

• BYD: BYD is a vertically integrated battery and EV/storage manufacturer with broad Li-ion (including LFP) stationary storage products competing in utility, commercial, and residential markets. Comparable as a broad incumbent whose Blade Battery and energy storage portfolio targets overlapping applications with HORIEN's commercial/industrial and utility segments.
• CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology): CATL is the world's largest battery manufacturer across Li-ion chemistries, with growing presence in stationary energy storage and UPS applications. Represents the dominant scale incumbent whose continued Li-ion cost decline is the primary competitive threat to HORIEN's premium-priced alternative chemistry in cost-sensitive segments.

Emerging players

• Aquion Energy: Historical US-based developer of saltwater (sodium-ion aqueous) batteries for stationary storage before bankruptcy. Relevant as a precedent in alternative-chemistry stationary storage targeting similar applications to HORIEN's grid and microgrid segments.
• Fluence Energy: Fluence is a leading grid-scale energy storage system integrator deploying lithium-ion battery solutions for utilities and renewable developers. While chemistry differs, Fluence competes for the same utility and commercial/industrial energy storage wallet share that HORIEN pursues, particularly in long-duration applications where Li-ion economics weaken.
• Inlyte Energy: Inlyte is a US-based startup developing iron-sodium battery technology for long-duration grid storage. They are a HORIEN technology licensing partner targeting US commercial deliveries by 2027 with Southern Company as validation partner — emerging player in adjacent sodium chemistry with direct collaboration relationship.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/horien-salt-battery-solutions

Compliance14 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HORIEN Salt Battery Solutions