Full Circle Lithium Corp. (FCLI-X), a producer of extinguishers for lithium-ion battery fires, signed a global distribution agreement with US Fire Pump Company, another commercial milestone for the Toronto-based firm.

US Fire Pump, a Louisiana-headquartered manufacturer of firefighting equipment, will market Full Circle’s FCL-X extinguishing agent across industrial, commercial and emergency response settings.

FCL-X is a water-based solution made from recycled batteries designed to suppress lithium-ion battery fires in electric vehicles (EVs), household electronics, electric scooters and e-bikes.

The fires have made headlines for their intensity, the difficulty of controlling with conventional firefighting equipment, and the rising number of incidents. The situation prompted a warning from Canadian fire chiefs that lithium-ion battery fires nearly doubled from 2022 to 2023 in Toronto, according to the city's fire service.

“With this partnership, Full Circle aims to establish a robust global distribution network for FCL-X Bulk that enhances accessibility to this critical safety solution, ultimately safeguarding lives and property,” Carlos Vicens, CEO and founder of the company, said in a release.

The deal with US Fire Pump marks Full Circle’s second distribution agreement to date, making 2024 a year when it made major strides on sales and marketing.

FCL-X

Full Circle’s FCL-X is made in its Georgia facility, where it maintains a lithium processing and battery recycling operation. Vicens called Georgia an ideal location for the facility because of the substantial investments into EV manufacturing flowing into the state.

Tests by the company have found FCL-X is effective at controlling EV battery fires. An EV battery fire that reached approximately 800 C was extinguished within 15 minutes with no re-ignition. In November, Full Circle said FCL-X extinguished controlled burns involving a Nissan Leaf and a Kia EV9, also without re-ignition.

Compared to other chemical suppressants or water, Full Circle’s product requires less agent and produces less toxic smoke, the company said.

Moving to commercialization

FCL-X has garnered industry interest for its promising properties. The first sales were made to a Georgia-based EV original equipment manufacturer in early June.

In October, Full Circle announced its first master distribution agreement in the U.S. with AEST Fire and Safety, a firefighting equipment firm based in North Carolina.

Demand for the company’s product blossomed from the test results and the AEST distribution agreement, it said. Full Circle announced it sold over US$300,000 of FCL-X products in early November, and signed an agreement to sell equipment to a third-party for approximately US$1.5 million.

Later in November, Full Circle disclosed it made its first sale of FCL-X to first responders: a fire station in Georgia.

Full Circle is considering retail sales of consumer-grade extinguishers that can fit in a passenger car, John Rathwell, the company’s investor relations advisor, told Sustainable Biz Canada earlier this year.

Large U.S. fire extinguisher manufacturers were also in talks with Full Circle, he added.