Media Representatives: Please feel free to quote from this page.
How has the battery industry changed in the last 10 years?
Overall, there has been dramatic movement from NiMH and NiCad to Lithium Ion chemistry. As far as lead acid batteries go, there has also been significant change. The lead price has been continually fluctuating since 2003, and the price of lead acid batteries changes accordingly. In China---where most batteries are manufactured---there has been increasing export cost and also concern for the environment. While environmental awareness is definitely a good thing, it limits production. A number of lead acid battery factories have closed or merged because of this.
What is the state of the battery industry right now?
Because of the increasing market requirements for lead acid batteries, there has been rapid technological development in that regard. Right now, China is the biggest battery exporter---with an annual increase of somewhere between 35 percent and 40 percent. The currency exchange rate between the U.S. and China has not been in our favor recently and that has had some effect on profit.
Which industries are the biggest battery users?
For industrial batteries, UPS (uninterrupted power supply) batteries predominate, but there is also a strong market for security and emergency system batteries. On the light industrial and consumer side, there’s a strong demand for batteries used in power tools, cell phones, and computers.
Where do you see the industry in 10 years?
The industry will continue to grow rapidly as technological advancements create new applications for batteries I think that as alternative energy sources, such as solar power, become more widespread there will be greater demand for the deep cycle batteries.
What are some of the major challenges that the battery industry is facing right now?
The price of raw materials, such as lead, is volatile. Also sealed lead acid batteries are facing a real challenge from the new generation of Li-ion batteries, which are much lighter in weight, but have the same capacity. Then there are the environmental issues in China. The tighter regulations are of course welcome, but they are severely restricting production and impacting cost.
How important is battery recycling and how can companies such as yours encourage recycling? Battery recycling is extremely important. Once a battery has reached the end of its useful life, there are components---like lead---that can and should be reused. We have a battery recycling center at our headquarters. We encourage our customers to collect small used batteries in containers and bring the containers to us when they’re full. As far as we’re concerned, there is never any excuse for a battery to be in a landfill.
What are new portable power technologies that really interest you right now?
Li-ion battery technology is the most promising portable power so far this century. The current and potential applications in the auto industry are very intriguing.
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