AMERICAN Manufacturer CREATES SOLUTION to KEEP FIRST RESPONDERS Safe for national police week may 10-16th

(Watertown, CT) – May 6, 2026– From the peaks of San Francisco to the valleys in suburban Connecticut, E-bike fires are surging this spring season. An apartment and hotel fire caused by E-bikes in San Francisco, as well as a fire traced to a lithium battery pack charging on a garage wall in Easton, Connecticut have caused injuries and evacuations, while putting countless first responders in peril during the first few days of May. One Connecticut manufacturer is helping to keep police officers, firefighters, and the public safe by developing a product that prevents dangerous and oftentimes deadly lithium battery fires from starting at all.  Specifically, Packaging And Crating Technologies (PACT), has created a patented, paper-based solution called TR Sleeve ^TM that prevents thermal runaway, a chain reaction causing rapid overheating and explosion-like flames, between individual lithium cells contained within battery packs for E-mobility equipment and is raising awareness about it throughout National Police Week from May 10-16, 2026.

“As of early 2026, lithium-ion battery fires are on the rise among e-bikes and consumer electronics and recognized as a major hazard among first responders, causing frequent incidents on land, sea and in the air,” said Rodger Mort, chief operating officer at Packaging And Crating Technologies.  “These fires are nearly impossible to extinguish and have to smolder out on their own after burning for many hours and days, all while emitting lethal fumes and gases.  Our newest innovation is a critical safety solution to protect first responders, transportation companies and the general public from a major catastrophic event.”

Mort explains that the prolific growth of devices such as e-bikes, e-scooters, vapes, handheld electronics and power banks all rely on lithium-ion batteries, and many incidents involve low-quality or modified batteries made overseas that lack safety certification.  Exacerbating the problem is improper charging habits, like overnight charging, incompatible chargers, or damaged batteries increase the risk of fires, as do home charging setups in enclosed garages and apartments.  Lastly, Mort recognizes that metropolitan areas with dense populations, battery storage facilities and most recently airplanes can cause fires to spread quickly and are more difficult to contain.

That’s why Packaging And Crating Technologies developed TR Sleeve, a thin recyclable paper-based material that stops thermal runaway propagation between lithium battery cells within electric bikes, battery packs and renewable energy storage systems, capable of containing thermal events that heat up to 750 degrees Celsius/1,382 degrees Fahrenheit.  

Other features of the new innovation include:

• Lean and Mean: TR Sleeve’s specially coated paper utilizes an advanced technology that actively and automatically cools a battery cell’s internal environment, limits transfer of heat between cells, while serving as a heat and flame barrier.  By adding only .009 inches to each battery cell diameter, TR Sleeve ensures comprehensive protection without disrupting the overall performance of the battery.
• Efficient & Effective: In countless tests conducted by independent laboratories, TR Sleeve suppressed thermal runaway circulation without any damage to the outside container, escaped toxic fumes or gases or changes in oxygen level. 
• Eco-Friendly: Thermal runaway can result in an explosion of smoke, fire and shooting shrapnel, often releasing toxic fumes and lethal gases into the environment that cost human lives.  TR Sleeve prevents such devastating events, can be reused and safely recycled in landfills when maximum usage is achieved.
• Versatile: TR Sleeve works on all cell designs – batteries can be tightly pressed or stacked without potting materials or separators, achieving maximum energy density within the battery packs.
• Certified Credentials: TR Sleeve has been endorsed by the Commercial Relocation Network, the Council on Safe Transportation of Hazardous Materials, and the International Association of Movers. It is also a preferred product for the US Department of Defense and has been awarded a special permit from the US Department of Transportation for the shipping of lithium-ion batteries, as well as passed the proposed SAE-G-27 test standard.  

Mort also explains that world leaders are finally taking action toward the lithium battery fire epidemic as a new global standard, ISO 3941:2026, introduced as “Class L” specifically addresses the unique, self-sustaining thermal runaway risks of lithium-ion battery fires, which often require specialized firefighting approaches.

“TR Sleeve stands at the forefront of safety, sustainability, and efficiency in lithium-ion battery technology,” concludes Mort.  “Its unique features not only address critical safety concerns but also contribute to a greener and more cost-effective future for EVs, E-buses, E-bikes, E-scooters, and other modern devices that use lithium batteries.”

To learn more or view a demo of TR Sleeve, visit www.pactthermoshield.com/tr-sleeve/.

ABOUT PACT

PACT^®, LLC is a global leader in manufacturing sustainable packaging products for the commercial, industrial and military industries. With thirty years of experience, the family business was founded by three green packaging professionals and continues to embrace a green future by designing cost-effective, crates and containers like LiftVans and PleatWrap for the commercial, industrial and military industries,, as well as custom packaging for the aerospace, medical, electronics, tooling, machinery, furniture, fine art and automotive sectors.  The company’s proprietary PACT^® Thermo Shield ^TM, a sustainable, paper-based packaging material that suppresses and controls lithium-ion battery fires by mitigating thermal runaway, has been repurposed to create TR Sleeve^TM for the e-bike industry and TR Envelope^TM, for smaller electronic devices like cell phones. The manufacturer’s latest innovation is PACT Lion-X^TM, the world’s first specialized fire extinguishing agent that instantly contains and destroys deadly fires involving lithium-ion batteries, battery packs and chargers. Visit www.pactww.com for more information.

PHOTO: TR Sleeve^TM created by Packaging And Crating Technologies (PACT) in Connecticut, is a specially coated paper that automatically cools a battery cell’s internal environment during thermal runaway, limits the transfer of heat between cells, and prevents a catastrophic event that can cause severe damage and cost human lives.