Three seefion battery safes withstood strict vdma-24994 test requirements |
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'There must truly not be a single flame visible'
New safes, new certifications, new site expansions, and a new account manager. At Seefion, they are anything but idle. Remco van Kuilenburg and Hans Stoffers talk about all the developments at the specialist in fire- and explosion-resistant battery safes.
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Hans Stoffers is not only responsible for relationship management, but also investigates where further opportunities for Seefion lie. 'In many sectors dealing with lithium batteries, such as automotive, people do not always know exactly what the risks and dangers are and who we are.' With a background in that sector, Stoffers is the right person to further introduce Seefion there. 'I was involved in various branches of the field: from account management and inside sales to equipment.'
In the landscaping sector, Seefion has already built a solid reputation, but in the automotive world the company is still less well known. Stoffers: 'And yet, in garages, almost all tools nowadays run on batteries. The work has become increasingly specialized and must be carried out faster. Electric tools are then more efficient and put less physical strain on workers.'
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In the landscaping sector, Seefion has built a solid reputation, but in the automotive world the company is still less well known
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European standard
Fire-resistant cabinets in which lithium-ion batteries are stored must comply with the so-called VDMA-24994 test requirements. 'VDMA' stands for Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau. Seefion's managing director, Remco van Kuilenburg, found the test requirements tougher than expected and thought the test itself was quite tense. 'There must truly not be a single flame visible. But we are glad the certification has been achieved. Moreover, it will become the European standard within two years.' He explains that some parties pushed the limits and found them too. 'But such a cabinet cannot simply be placed in a room; adjustments to the building are necessary.'
 | | The certified seefion 20 |
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 | | The coveted ecb-s label |
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Smart step controller
The Seefion 16, Seefion 20, and Seefion 20D (the deeper variant) have been tested in open air. Therefore, their use is not limited to spaces with an extraction system. 'You put the safe against the wall, plug it in, and that is it,' says Stoffers. 'In addition, we are the only ones with a smart step controller at 230 volts in our safes—not unimportant given the current power shortages at companies, but also at home. And the new SmartFlow step controller can now be adjusted by power, making it even smarter.'
Serious business
The safes were already VDMA-certified last year and are now also ECB-S accredited under Seefion's name. 'ECB-S' stands for European Certification Body - Security. The certification of the Seefion 10 is also nearly complete. The ECB-S mark indicates that safes, fire safes, safe rooms, data safes, and safe locks are of good quality. The tests for this certification may only be carried out at two locations worldwide, one in Poland and one in Germany.
Serious business indeed. And to think that some competitors once called Van Kuilenburg a fantasist or even a liar. '"A TV guy who suddenly starts building safes, that cannot be right." That is not nice to hear. It led us to decide to have our safe tested.'
In the meantime, five safes have been delivered to Stadswerk 072NV, and Seefion has also launched a pilot project with the city of Groningen, so that people there can safely and confidently store and charge lithium-ion batteries as well. To be continued ...
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'We are glad with the certification. Within two years it will become the European standard'
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This article was first published on August 13, 2025 on the Stad + Groen website.
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