Some stories don’t begin with a business plan, but with people who are not satisfied with the status quo. The story of Battery Consult – and thus today’s Saleon AG – is one such story.
From Mes-Dea in Ticino to the idea of starting his own company
At the end of the 1990s, Cord-Henrich Dustmann ended up in Ticino. He oversaw battery operations at Mes-Dea SA. At the time, Mes-Dea was a supplier to the automotive and household appliance industries and a member of the CEBI Group, an international company with around 3,500 employees. The technology came from Germany and England – the company was geared towards large-scale production.
However, Cord was full of ideas and eager to develop further. He was fascinated by the salt battery (Na/NiCl₂ / Zebra technology) – safe, non-flammable and durable. But his suggestions were rejected by Mes-Dea’s industrial focus.
In 2007, he acted: he left the company and founded Battery Consult sagl in 2008 to bring the salt battery out of its slumber.
A call from the Bernese Oberland
Almost at the same time in the Bernese Oberland: the then assistant to the management of Kraftwerke Oberhasli (KWO) was not only involved with storage lakes as head of innovation and energy projects at KWO, but also with ‘storage puddles’, aka battery storage.
At the time, KWO had a small fleet of electric cars with salt batteries in use and confronted Cord with the question of what he thought about generating energy with hydrogen.
The answer was clear: ‘It’s a dead end. With hydrogen, we lose two-thirds of the energy. What we need are safe batteries – and we can develop them here.’
This marked the beginning of a partnership that put Meiringen at the forefront of salt technology.
From Haslital to Brazil – and back
At that time, KWO had a technical cooperation agreement with ITAIPU Binacional in Brazil, the operator of the world’s largest hydroelectric power plant. The idea of a robust salt battery met with great interest there.
Cord travelled to Brazil several times – the first trip was financed by KWO, the others he paid for out of his own pocket. During negotiations in Foz do Iguaçu, right next to the Itaipu Dam, a project was finally launched. The Brazilian government provided financing in the double-digit millions via Itaipu for the further development of the technology.
These funds enabled Cord to take the next step: moving Battery Consult to Haslital.
Meiringen says yes to the future
A building on the armoury site in Meiringen was standing empty. KWO and the municipality recognised the opportunity: jobs, innovation, a future for the region.
Cord hired his first employees – a chemist, a physicist (who is still part of the management team today), as well as electronics engineers and mechanical engineers. The municipal assembly approved a budget for renovating the building and setting up apartments for Cord and his new team members.
This laid the foundation for a battery development centre in the heart of the Alps.
Headwinds and motivation
At the time, the industry was struggling with ‘teething’ problems and technical issues. For Cord and his small team, this was an incentive: they wanted to show that things could be done better – more solidly, more safely, more durably.
The beginning of a long journey
With the establishment in Meiringen, the company changed from Battery Consult sagl to Battery Consult AG. Step by step, patents, new cell concepts and the first prototypes were developed.
Today – more than 15 years later – this pioneering work has become Saleon AG: a company with a clear mission, a European value chain and a technology that is ready for industrial use.
A chapter full of energy
The story of Cord-Henrich Dustmann and KWO is more than just a chapter in the company’s history. It shows how pioneering spirit, courage and persuasiveness put a small mountain village on the energy technology map.
Meiringen thus became a symbol: for innovative spirit, for cooperation between industry, communities and international partners – and for the belief that with passion and perseverance, you can help shape the future of energy yourself.
