When you hear the names Apple, Google, Amazon, Disney, Harley-Davidson, and Mattel, one thing they all have in common is surprising: they started in a garage.
These household names didn’t begin in shiny corporate offices or billion-dollar factories. They began in small, humble spaces where passion and persistence mattered more than square meters.
At Lithium Batteries South Africa (LBSA), our story isn’t much different.
Humble Beginnings: A 48m² Garage
In August 2019, Bain Viljoen — CEO of LBSA — was sweating it out in a tiny 48m² garage. Surrounded by wires, tools, battery cells, and way too many empty coffee cups, he had one vision:
to help South Africans power through load shedding on their own terms.
There was no big team, no fancy building — just grit, determination, and the belief that lithium technology could transform how South Africans live and work.
From Garage Dreams to Factory Scenes
Fast forward a few years (and yes, a few extra grey hairs) — and LBSA has transformed into one of South Africa’s leading lithium battery manufacturers.
Here’s how far we’ve come:
🏭 7,567m² factory in Denver, Johannesburg – scaling up from DIY kits to fully built, high-performance battery units.
⚡ August 2023: Cape Town branch opens – expanding our reach and proving that from Joburg to the Western Cape, load shedding doesn’t stand a chance.
🔋 Today we proudly supply:
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Homes & businesses with reliable backup power
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Industrial sites with high-voltage energy solutions
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Installers & resellers with trusted local support and products
Why the Garage Story Matters
The garage isn’t just where we started — it’s part of our identity. It reminds us that:
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Big change can start small.
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Innovation doesn’t wait for perfect conditions.
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With the right vision, even the smallest workspace can fuel the biggest dreams.
Just like Apple or Google, our story proves that great things grow from humble beginnings.
The Road Ahead
From garage floors to factory doors, LBSA has come a long way — but we’re only just getting started.
With new product lines, bigger facilities, and nationwide expansion on the horizon, our mission remains the same:
to give South Africans the power to take control of their energy future.
Thank you for being part of our journey so far. The best is yet to come.
Lithium Batteries South Africa – Proudly South African. Proudly powering progress.