Qatar’s new battery standards reshape power backup market as AAge International eyes lithium-ion push Qatar’s updated infrastructure standards, which now require industrial batteries with a minimum 10-year design life under the National Vision 2030 framework, are reshaping the country’s power backup market, an official of AAge International has said.
The company, which distributes industrial batteries in Qatar under the Axess Power brand, claims roughly 60% of the local market and is preparing to add lithium-ion products to its portfolio by 2027, managing director Selvakumaran Selvaraj told Gulf Times on the sidelines of Project Qatar 2026.
AAge International keeps more than 25,000 batteries in stock locally, making it the largest battery stockist in Qatar, Selvakumaran said. The inventory covers UPS systems, fire alarms, elevators, data centres, solar installations, CCTV networks and extra-low-voltage building automation systems.
“We have the largest stock of batteries in Qatar. By focusing on local stocking, we can deliver requirements immediately without any delays or the need to wait for materials,” he said.
AAge International is attending Project Qatar for the third consecutive year, stated Selvakumaran, who noted that the first year was spent on brand recognition, the second on growing revenues, and the third on consolidating its market position. The company moves roughly 110 batteries, about one tonne, per day in Qatar, with container shipments arriving twice a month to keep pace.
The battery approvals the company has accumulated go a long way toward explaining the market share figure, Selvakumaran explained. Its products are cleared for Ashghal projects spanning drainage and traffic infrastructure, as well as those governed by the Ministry of Interior (MoI), Qatar Civil Defence and the MOI Security System Department.
Hamad International Airport (HIA) and Hamad Medical Corporation have also approved them, according to Selvakumaran. Internationally, the batteries carry UL certification, which Selvakumaran said consultants in Qatar consistently require for critical installations.
“Take any Ashghal project for example, such as road projects, drainage, or traffic; it’s already approved. This includes Qatar International Airport and the health sector, with almost all medical corporations having received approvals. We have dozens of approvals,” he said.
The company’s Axess Power batteries are manufactured in Europe under an Italian brand, he said. Selvakumaran attributed the approval rate to European ISO manufacturing standards, multi-stage quality checks and a two-year warranty that he said “sets the company apart from competitors.” The batteries have a 10-year design life, which aligns with the updated Qatar infrastructure standards he referenced.
The company runs an AI-integrated enterprise resource planning system with barcode scanning to manage stock movement. Selvakumaran said the system allows six-month planning, with an order pipeline now extending to December. Shipments are staggered across two containers a month, or roughly one every 15 days.
Selvam Veeramani, AAge International’s Qatar country manager, said Project Qatar had also opened leads beyond Doha. Over two years at the exhibition, the company has gathered contacts from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman — visitors who came for the show and later became customers or referral sources.
“From one customer visiting Project Qatar, we are getting four or five leads,” he said.
On the product side, the company offers gel batteries rated to operate above 50 degrees Celsius, designed for outdoor solar applications. These are already deployed in Ashghal’s roadside solar systems and in MoI traffic vehicles. Veeramani said the batteries use 99% purified lead, which he said produces lower carbon emissions compared to lower-grade alternatives.
Murugan SG, AAge International’s sales manager for Bahrain, said the company limits itself to the supply side and does not handle end-of-life battery management. When customers replace units, the company points them toward licensed discard agencies.
In Bahrain, government-certified disposal companies, located roughly 25 to 30km from the capital, extract lead from expired batteries and process the remaining components separately. Customers receive a disposal certificate confirming the work met regulatory standards.
Selvakumaran said the European factory behind the Axess Power brand is now in the R&D stage for lithium-ion batteries, responding to a noticeable uptick in such inquiries from the Qatari market. The company expects to launch a lithium-ion solution by 2027.
“We know this day will come. We are adapting to bring that solution here. We want it available just like we make lead-acid batteries on the same day,” he said.