Exide aims to achieve Rs 2,000 cr turnover

Exide Industries Limited, an ISO 9001, ISO 14001 company, pioneer and leading manufacturer of lead acid battery in the country, with its turn over of Rs 1,800 crore, has targeted to achieve the turn over of Rs 2,000 crore in the current financial year with the launch of its new products.

"Exide has made inroads in the battery market and we will now be increasing our presence in all the markets of the country with special emphasis on covering the interiors of the country with our wide produce range," S Kalla, vice-president of the company, told Business Standard on the occasion of the launch of its new InvaGold Tubular Battery.

About the new product, Kalla claimed that it was the first time in Punjab that a battery of such calibre had been launched. He said the cost was a little high but the life of the battery was higher than the cost.

"InvaGold Tubular Battery was developed by the company to solve the acute electricity problems being faced by the people of the region. A number of people had written to us about the difficulties they faced due to frequent power failures, usually stretching over long periods. Under such circumstances only a battery with Tubular technology can be successful," he said.

"InvaGold is the first tubular battery in the country with zero maintenance. It has been made with iron-clad tubular technology which is the best method world-wide," he said, adding that the other range of tubular batteries includes Invatubular, Invaqueen, Powersafe.

"Last year, the company, with its nine manufacturing plants in the country, had attained the turnover of Rs 1,800 crore. This year, it aims to increase its turnover to Rs 2000 crore with the launch of new products," Kalla said.

He added that Exide planned to establish 10 manufacturing plants in the country, locations for which were being selected.

About the response to the company's products in Punjab, Kalla said that in terms of amount it was approximately Rs 100 crore and the company had around 50 per cent of the battery marketshare.

He added that the other 50 per cent did not belong to any popular brand name but only to local rebuilders of batteries.

Regarding the major clients of the company, Kalla revealed that it supplied batteries to Indian Railways, Defence, BSNL, MTNL, Airtel, Hutch and other telecom players apart from special batteries for submarines with the cost of Rs 12 crore per battery.

"The company is supplying batteries to American Power Conversion (APC), which has established its global plant at Bangalore in India," he said, revealing that Exide was supplying about 10,000 to 12,000 batteries per day to APC and 95 per cent of that was being supplied by the company to USA.

He said the company had 9 factories at Hosur, Guindy in Tamil Nadu, Baldia and Shamnagar in West Bengal, Chinchwad, Taloja, Ahmednagar and Kanjur Marg in Maharashtra, and Bawal in Haryana. The company has foreign collaborations with Hitachi and Furukawa of Japan.