Manufacturer
Also known as: OEM, Equipment Manufacturer, Original Equipment Manufacturer
A company that owns production lines and manufactures a defined product. In BESS, the term is relative to the product level — a company can be a cell manufacturer, a module manufacturer, a DC block manufacturer (as a DC block integrator), or an AC block manufacturer (as an AC block integrator). A manufacturer that integrates components into a higher-level product is both a manufacturer and an integrator.
In energy storage
Some manufacturers are vertically integrated — a cell manufacturer that also builds complete DC blocks is both a cell manufacturer and a DC block integrator. Others specialise at one level and source components from third parties. The distinction matters commercially: a DC block integrator who does not manufacture cells carries supply chain risk from their cell supplier, while a vertically integrated manufacturer controls more of the product but may have less flexibility in cell selection.