Chinese Power Bank Maker Suspends Production After Its Power Bank Caused Mid-Air Fire
One of China’s biggest portable power bank makers, Shenzhen-based Romoss Technology, has suspended production for at least six months and closed its stores on major Chinese e-commerce platforms after a massive recall of its products.
Romoss had recalled nearly half a million power banks in June this year when one of its 20,000 mAh power banks reportedly overheated and caused a mid-air fire on a Hong Kong Airlines flight in March from Hangzhou to Hong Kong. The flight was diverted to Fuzhou.
Romoss had recalled three specific 20,000 mAh models manufactured between June 5, 2023 and July 31, 2024. Romoss said that certain units could overheat under extreme conditions, posing a risk of combustion. Meanwhile, its online shops on several e-commerce platforms and websites serving overseas clients have been taken offline.
Hong Kong enforces new regulations on power banks onboard
After this incident, the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department said it would ban passengers of local airlines from using their power banks to charge any electronic devices or charging the batteries on board flights. Travellers will also be prohibited from storing power banks in the overhead compartments. Passengers will need to keep power banks on them or place the batteries in the seat pocket in front of them or in their hand luggage under the seat.
This took effect on 7 April. All passengers on the four Hong Kong airlines – Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong Airlines, HK Express and Greater Bay Airlines – have to comply with these new regulations.
China bans unlicensed power banks on flights
The overheating incident also caused China’s civil aviation authority to ban unlicensed lithium-powered power banks on flights. This decision also caught Chinese air travellers off guard as the ban came into effect two days after the notice was issued on June 28.
China Business News reported that after consultations with the State Administration for Market Regulation, all 3C certifications on Romoss power banks had been suspended, and the company ceased production of all lithium battery products. China Compulsory Certification, or 3C, is a mandatory safety and quality certification system for products sold in China.
Romoss was not the only power bank maker that recalled its products.
Anker recalls more than a million products
Shenzhen-based Anker Innovations had two product recalls in June after some consumers reported fires and explosions. The company said its lithium-ion battery inside certain “PowerCore 10000” can overheat. That can lead to the “melting of plastic components, smoke and fire hazards,” Anker said in an announcement that these products were sold only in the U.S. between June 2016 and December 2022.
Anker Innovations has forged a strategic partnership with battery maker Amperex Technology Limited (ATL), moving swiftly to secure a new battery cell supplier after jointly recalling more than a million power banks in one of China’s largest consumer electronics recalls in recent years.
The Shenzhen-based gadget maker planned to purchase an initial batch of 45 million lithium-ion batteries from ATL. The deal is a shift for Anker’s supply chain as it seeks to restore consumer confidence in the safety of its products.
