Exide to become lead smelter and recycler

Archiv – Exide Industries Ltd of India, the largest automotive and industrial battery manufacturer in South Asia, is venturing into lead smelting and recycling to reduce its dependence on lead imports. India | Exide Industries Ltd of India, the largest automotive and industrial battery manufacturer in South Asia, is venturing into lead smelting and recycling to reduce its dependence on lead imports.
To this end, the Kolkata-based company is entering into strategic alliances with local smelters, and has decided to acquire a smelter at a cost of up to US$ 6.4 million (Euro 4.5 million). The proposed acquisition will help Exide – which controls over 80% of the Indian automotive battery market – to increase its use of recycled lead and lead alloys in making storage batteries.
Mr T V Ramanathan, Managing Director & CEO of Exide, states: ’Such an acquisition – as and when it materialises – would be a significant step towards enhancing the amount of recycled lead and lead alloys used by the company, and hence would help to reduce our dependence on imports of high-cost lead. In a scenario where the price of lead has been highly volatile, having an equity stake in a local smelter would be a significant step towards increasing the reliance on domestic sourcing of recycled lead.’
Also commenting on the proposal, Exide’€™s Director-Automotive Mr P K Kataky says: ‘€˜This would open up an opportunity for the company to enhance the volume of scrap battery collection from the dealers – a battery handling and management rules (regulatory) requirement.’€™
Exide claims to have been at the forefront of the movement to collect scrap batteries as required by the regulatory framework. The foray into smelting will help further its commitment to protect the environment through use of recycled materials, which forms part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives.