GBS may be a small company, but our history is anything but small. Explore how the modern Global Battery Solutions came to be...
1958
Mike Sybesma opened his doors of business as Sybesma’s Electronics in 1958 specializing in sales and repair of televisions and radios.
1970
In 1970, Mike's son Hank took over the business and began to pivot towards automotive electronic repair. This eventually lead to Sybesma's merging with National Auto Radio Service Inc in 1989.
2014
Hank's daughter Jennifer founded Global Battery Solutions as part of a project for her Innovation Methods Certification through NewNorth Center. At this point, GBS was narrowly focused on developing methods for remanufacturing lithium ion batteries with the intention of being an innovative and sustainable start-up.
2016
In the interest of becoming West Michigan's end-to-end solution for solar power and energy storage, Global Battery Solutions acquired Hunter Energy Resources in 2016, bringing on board over a decade of solar installation experience.
2018
In 2018, Global Battery Solutions which was founded as an affiliate company to Sybesmas, bought Sybesmas in an effort to consolidate the electronics and battery focused divisions of the business.
Future GBS
As GBS continues to grow and innovate, we've got serveral projects in the works that are worth keeping an eye on...
Here at GBS, not only are we technologically innovative, but we're also innovative in the way that we as a company operate. By practicing both socially and environmentally sustainable business processes GBS maintains a healthy and dynamic working environment that sets us apart in our industry. Learn more...
As a women-owned business, GBS has been positioned to break the mold in the technology industry from the beginning. As GBS has grown we've made a specific effort to continue bringing on both staff and managing partners who come from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives to ensure that we remain as agile and innovative as possible in an ever changing world.
It likely doesn't come as a surprise that a company whose claims to fame are solar installations and lithium ion battery recycling/technology is concious about sustainable energy. However, its important to note that here at GBS we also practice what we preach. On the roof of our building at 581 Ottawa Ave in Holland we have a solar array installed that feeds one of our custom built lithium ion battery units. On sunny days this exceeds the power demand of both our front offices and management offices, allowing us to sell energy back to the grid. Not only does this benefit GBS in terms of energy savings, it also serves as a demonstration of our confidence in our own products and craftsmanship. In the future, we'd love to maximize the power generating potential on the roof of our warehouse and build a much larger solar array that could power our entire business!
Meet the GBS Team
Jennifer Sierra
Founder, Managing Partner
Grand Valley State University
Ellington Ellis
Co-Founder, Managing Partner
Grand Valley State University
Kris Hunter
Managing Partner
Grand Valley State University
Robert VandenBosch
Electronics Technician
University of MI College of Engineering
Vanna Ket
Project Leader, Electronics Technician
Stanford University
Mike Alderink
Electronics Technician
ITT Technical Institute
Jessica VanderSlik
Technician Assistant, Project Leader, CSR
Grand Valley State University
Hank Sybesma
Managing Partner
ITT Technical Institute
Rowan Bixler
IT Intern
Grand Valley State University
Careers at GBS
Due to the variety of focuses that GBS continues to persue, we have a need for driven individuals with varied skill sets. A career at Global Battery Solutions could entail any of the following:
- Solar Installation
- Electronics Repair
- Electronics Design
- Logistics
- Customer Service
- Grant Writing
- IT and Systems Maintenance
While we don't have any formal listings at this time, feel free to contact us to see if your skills and experience open up any opportunities!
In the not-so-distant future, the goal of GBS is to position itself among the the biggest players in the rechargable battery industry by bringing reused, modular cells with robust control and monitoring systems onto the scene. In other words, by developing a suite of battery products and services with an increasingly important sustainability focus, GBS aims to be part of the long-term solution to energy storage in both the consumer and commercial markets.
Be apart of our bright vision for the future, learn about becoming a GBS Strategic Partner...