Leading SMF VRLA battery players

Amara Raja Batteries Ltd (ARBL) is the largest manufacturer of standby valve regulated lead acid (VRLA) batteries in the Indian Ocean Rim, comprising the area from Africa and the Middle East to South East Asia. Based in Hyderabad, with a fully integrated manufacturing unit at Tirupati, Amara Raja Batteries has reached a position of leadership in a very short span.

ARBL is the largest supplier of stand-by batteries to core Indian utilities such as Indian Railways, BSNL, power generating stations, MTNL, VSNL, ITI and HTL. Major MNCs like ABB, Alcatel, Ericsson, Fujitsu, Lucent, Motorola, Nokia, APC and Siemens are among ARBL’s clientele.
Amara Raja is part of a global supply alliance that includes Johnson Controls Inc, USA, and JC Batterien in Germany. “Our alliance supplies batteries to every major auto manufacturer in the world including General Motors, Ford, Daimler Chrysler, Toyota, Volvo, Hyundai, Maruti, Nissan, Honda, Volkswagen and Fiat, among others,” says  Jayadev Galla.

Contact details: Fifth Floor, Astra Towers, 12P, HiTech City, Kondapur, Hyderabad – 500038; Ph: 040-23683000; Fax: 23118219; Email: [email protected]; Website: www.amararaja.co.in

Artheon Electronics Ltd is one of the flagship companies of the Artheon Group. It has been engaged in manufacturing and distributing SMF-VRLA batteries since 2007. The company has a joint venture with US based North Star Battery Company. Artheon has also set up a state of art manufacturing unit at Nasik and has a well equipped manufacturing and testing facility for SMF-VRLA batteries in the range of 1.3ah to 3000ah in 6 volts, 12 volts and 2 volts.  The Artheon plant conforms to international manufacturing standards like IEC, JIS, Kaizen, TQM, ISO 9001-2008, ISO 14001-2004, etc.

” We position Artheon as an energy solutions provider rather than a battery seller. It follows best labour practices and meets with the highest norms of safety and environment control. Led by a highly skilled team of technocrats, it is fully compliant with international quality and performance standards,” says Sushil Jiwarajka.

Contact details: S-34, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-II, New Delhi-110020; Ph: 0091-40516480, 40567371; Fax: 0091-40516479; Mob: 09999119490; Email: [email protected]; Website: www.artheonelec.com, www.artheonventures.com

Base Corporation was founded in 1987, with a mission to become an active partner in the development of the power industry using the latest technology. Founded by Girish Arora, Base has emerged as a frontrunner in the lead acid storage market in India. The company has been the sole/exclusive distributor of Panasonic brand batteries in India, for over two decades now. Looking forward to an aggressive growth path, Base set up its own design and R&D facilities in  2002 and introduced its ‘Base Terminal’ brand of batteries. Under this brand, the company offers an array of batteries to meet the end-to-end needs of its customers.

“We are riding on the rich experience of over 400 professionals, and have steadily gained market share to become a major player with a turnover of over Rs 600 crore. With a renewed aggressive outlook and concentration on R&D, we are geared to scale new heights in the near future and bring a smile to the faces of all our customers,” says Girish Arora.

Contact details: Sangeeta Towers No 3, 80 Feet Road,Indira Nagar, Near TCS/George Thangiah Complex, Bengaluru 560038; Ph:080-41635909; Fax: 41104555; Email: [email protected]; Website:www.baseterminal.com

Established in July 2000, Best Power Equipment (I) Pvt Ltd is one of the largest suppliers of UPS systems in the Indian market. With its headquarters in Noida, BPE has carefully extended itself, year by year, in the power solutions domain, addressing the IT, industrial and critical equipment sectors with energy saving applications. Last year the company  introduced 12v 7ah, 12v 18ah, 12v 28ah and 12V 40ah SMF batteries to fulfil the power back-up needs of portable equipment and office automation.

“Our batteries are derived from our vast experience in the standby power market. Our battery range has been specifically designed using a special additive from Japan to ensure optimal discharge performance and the highest reliability in many different environments,” says Amitansu Satpathy.

Contact details: B-68, Sector- 65, Noida-201301; Mob: 9311795859; Ph: 0120-4143400, 4143464; Fax: 0120-4318991; Email – [email protected]; Website: sswww.bpee.com

From a humble beginning in 1992 as a small dealer focused on a range of computers, UPS systems and SMF batteries, Computech is now a Rs 6 crore entity. The company is ISO 9001and 14001 certified and is poised for bigger challenges ahead in the arena of power solutions. The strength of rich industry experience, a desire to provide the best product at the most competitive price, along with the total back-up support system in place, inspired the company to launch ‘ipower’ brand name in 2008. ipower batteries are tested as per Japanese international standard and recognised by Lab-ETDC Mohali. Soon, products will be approved at DGS&D and Banks.

“Our batteries are widely accepted throughout india and we will be launching latest technology products like deep cycle batteries, gel based ebike batteries and 4volt batteries for led based torch,” says Vikas Aggarwal.

Contact details: G-2, Balram House, Karampura Commercial Complex, New Delhi-110015; Ph: 011-25920254; Email: [email protected]; Website: www.computechsystems.in

The Evolute group of companies is one of the fastest growing conglomerates providing diverse solutions to various sectors and industries. Ever since its inception in 1975, Evolute maintains its focus on core sectors like energy, power, telecom, medical engineering, home and industrial automation, mobility, security, defence, rural banking, rural lighting, etc. It offers a wide range of product solutions including batteries and battery packs, chargers, power supplies and SMPS, thermal printers, displays, various electronics components, etc.

“Leone Batteries is a part of the Evolute group in India. The company manufactures and  markets SMF, new-type high-energy VRL, GEL VRL, and e-bike deep discharge batteries. These batteries go through stringent quality tests at source, before dispatch to  customers,” says Parag K Mehta.

Contact details: 125, Madhuram Industrial  Estate, Behind Visava Hotel, Sativali Road, Vasai (East),  Thane 401208; Ph: 0250-3023500; Fax: 0250-3023501; Email: [email protected]; [email protected]; Website: www.evolute-sol.com; www.leone.com.sg

Exide Industries Ltd, begun in 1997, is the country’s largest manufacturer of lead acid storage batteries and is also a power storage solutions provider. With six international standard factories spread across the nation, the company offers one of the widest ranges of batteries for every application in the automotive as well as industrial sectors.

Exide’s strong brand name, established in India over more than a hundred years, is supplemented by its nationwide dealer network and a very strong R&D centre. With the help of two of its Japanese collaborators – Shin Kobe and Furukawa – Exide has consistently remained at the cutting edge of international battery technology and introduced various pioneering products and power storage solutions in the Indian and global markets.

“With an annual turnover of over Rs 4800 crore, the company is almost four times larger than its closest competitor in India. We have been consistently profitable for the last 63 years. Our total market capitalisation, as of the beginning of July 2010, is more than Rs 10,000 crore,” says TV Ramanathan.

Contact details: 59E, Chowringhee Road,Kolkata 700 020; Ph:033- 22832150,2282 2151; Fax:2283 2637; Email: [email protected]; Website:www.exide4u.com

Established in 2005, Fusion Power Systems is an ISO 9001:2000 certified enterprise engaged in the development and supply of rechargeable sealed lead acid batteries that are sold under the brand name AMPTEK. The company has nationwide sales, service and distribution capabilities in providing state-of-the-art batteries to its customers. At present, AMPTEK supplies small and large sized sealed acid batteries of a series comprising more than 60 models in 2V, 6V and 12V, with a rated capacity of 0.3AH-3000AH. These batteries strictly comply with JIS and IEC standards.

It has also set up state of the art battery testing facilities using advanced testing equipment and the latest quality testing procedures. The company adopts strict quality control during the process of importing and shipping of batteries to ensure the full life of the products. “We guarantee reliable performance and a competitive price. AMPTEK has built an efficient after-sales service system that can offer timely, easy and effective service to its customers,” says  Kapil Sood.

Contact details: A-221, Street No 7, Road No 4, Mahipalpur Extn, NH-8, New Delhi 110037; Ph:011-26782717, 32402718; Fax: 011-26782718; Email:[email protected]

Global Powersource India Pvt Ltd imports Rocket make SMF batteries from Global Battery Co Ltd, Korea. Global Battery has entered into a capital and technology collaboration with the Yuasa Corporation of Japan, a world famous battery manufacturer. In India, Global Powersource introduced Rocket VRLA batteries in 1988.

“Majority of the MNCs prefer Rocket due to its reliability and consistent performance under varied operating conditions. In India we have operations in 14 cities, including two SEZ offices. Besides, our overseas operations are in Singapore, Middle East, Malaysia, China and Europe,” Says Dipak Gandhi

Contact details: C10 Satyam Shopping Center Mezzanine Floor, MG Road, Ghatkopar East, Mumbai–400077; Ph:022- 40460646; Fax: 21021042; Email:[email protected]; Website: www.rocketbatteries.net

Relicell is a brand of industrial batteries from Greenvision Technologies, Relicell provides an extensive range of SMF VRLA & Tubular Batteries for standby power & deep cycle applications. Part of a 1000 crore group from the IT Industry Relicell is available through a nationwide network of sales and service centers spanning 53 locations. Relicell has established installations across Government, Industry, Retail, Telecom, Education, IT/ITES and BFSI segments and is used to support applications for UPS, Telecom, Defence and Medical, etc.

“Relicell SMF batteries are produced at a state-of-the-art facility using advanced AGM VRLA technologies and materials of high purity material. Our SMF VRLA batteries have been a designed to have high specific energy, a low rate of self discharge and excellent cyclic performance and recovery after over discharging. The SMF construction makes them safe for operation in any position and it is totally maintenance free,” says Biju Bruno.

Contact details: 45/1, 4th Cross, Malleswaram, Bengaluru-560 003; Ph: 080 4245 9459; Fax: 080 4245 9460;
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.greenvisiontech.com; www.relicellbattery.com

HBL Power Systems Ltd has more than three decades of experience in the field of specialised batteries and standby DC power solutions. The company is headquartered in Hyderabad and it has sales offices in various parts of the country, with distributors all over the globe. The company has battery solutions for almost every application in the market. In addition to the standard products, HBL is a technology intensive company with strategic joint ventures in the areas of DC system integration, turnkey solutions, allied contract manufacturing activities, etc.

“We are the only company with the widest range of battery available, catering to the telecom, industry, railways, defence and aviation sector, and supported by a 24×7 service network. We are targeting a growth of 30 per cent annually, and are planning to consolidate our hold in the market by introducing the new technology, ‘Pure Lead Tin’, for engine-starting applications in the coming years,”  Avnish Arora.

Contact details: 8–2–601, Road No 10, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad 500 034, Andhra Pradesh, India; Ph: 040-23355575, 23355147/0124- 4783 333; Fax: 040–23355048/0124-4783 300; Email: [email protected]; Website: www.hbl.in

Since 1967, ITP has been committed to marketing the world’s most dependable components and products to Indian customers at the most competitive prices. Wakai SMF Batteries was launched by ITP in 2000 to fulfil the power back-up needs of its valued customers. Since then, many OEMs have standardised their production based on Wakai. ITP’s range includes batteries for UPS systems, emergency lamps, instruments and electric vehicles.  Apart from batteries, ITP also markets a wide range of electronics components such as relays, capacitors, connectors, MOVs, fuses and electronic hardware.

The manufacturing division of ITP is ISO 9001-2008 certified. Other plants at Gurgaon and Haridwar manufacture wire harnesses, coils and transformers. Many of ITP’s products are exported to European countries. “We ensure our products meet global quality parameters and the highest standards of quality. ITP controls the processes, starting with raw material procurement right up till the delivery of the product,” says Anil Batra.

Contact details: 14-15 DSIDC, Scheme-1, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-II, New Delhi – 110020; Ph: 42701150-51; Fax: 42701152; Email.: [email protected]

Founded in 1988, the group reported a revenue exceeding US $ 250 million in FY 09-10 and is projected to reach US $ 500 million by FY 10-11. The group businesses include power back-up, power storage, distributed power generation, renewable and alternate energy solutions, physical infrastructure solutions for IT and telecom, engineering design and support services, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and mobile phones and accessories.

Luminous markets its products to over 36 countries worldwide. Its global technology centres located in India, the US and China deliver cutting edge technology that goes into every Luminous product. It follows its proprietary UGC (Universal Grid Compatibility) process to ensure consistency and very high standards of reliability for its products anywhere in the world. “We have been consistently winning awards and accolades for market leadership and the excellent reliability of our products,”says Rakesh Malhotra.

Contact details: C-8 & 9, Community Centre, Janak Puri, (Janak Cinema Complex), New Delhi – 110058; Ph: 011- 40778296; Fax:011-25558912; Email: [email protected]; Website: www.luminousindia.com

Founded in 2002, Okaya was established to introduce a wide range of quality batteries at affordable prices.  Today, Okaya is the second largest manufacturer of inverter and UPS batteries in India. The company’s elaborate R&D set-up has created product differentiation within the battery market.

“Our manufacturing bases utilise Japanese technology and cutting edge equipment and machinery imported from various global leaders, ensuring the lowest per day performance cost,” says Rajesh Gupta.

Contact details: D-7, Udyog Nagar, Rohtak Road, New Delhi-110041; Ph: 011-46472040; Fax: 011-45112390; Email: [email protected]; Website: www.okayapower.com

Prime Products started promoting SLA in 1985 and has been offering rechargeable batteries since 1991. The company imports batteries from reputed international manufacturers. It offers brands like Vision, Powersonic and Surepower. Prime Products has also been selling Ni-Cd, Ni-MH and lithium batteries. The company implements stringent quality checks at its warehouse, thus its products are considered consistent and reliable.

“We offer various purchasing options. We provide material from our stocks, pick up material from bonded warehouses, and forward book orders or place orders through our suppliers. This flexibility facilitates customers with large volume orders and good marketing setups to build up their own brand or regional distribution network. It also helps customers to get special duty benefits,” says Tarun M Desai.

Contact details: C-107, Sythofine Estate, Behind Virwani Estate, Off Aarey Road, Goregaon (E), Mumbai 400063; Ph: 022-40399399; Fax: 0091-22-40399333; Email: [email protected]; Website: www.primeproducts.in

Rahimafrooz Batteries Ltd (RBL) is one of South Asia’s leaders in automotive and lead acid batteries. It is a part of the 55 year old Rahimafrooz group. It started manufacturing batteries in 1954 as Lucas BD Limited and in 1994, as Yuasa Batteries. Its large range of products include batteries for the automotive, industrial, inverter, motorcycle, UPS, rectifier and VRLA sectors.

With four logistics centres across four regions in India, RBL markets batteries under various brands and their extensions, viz., Voltas, and for Globatt variants Josh, Race and Ace, it offers consolidated warranty periods of  24, 48 and 60 months, respectively. The plant is ISO 9001, ISO14001 and OHSAS 18001 accredited. “Our aim is to be the most admired and trusted organisation by excelling in everything. A place among the top three battery brands in India by 2015 is its stated mission,” says Prashant Parida.

Contact details: Suite Number 10, B/7 Vasant Arcade, Nelson Mandela Road, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi 110070; Ph: 011-41783478; Fax: 011-41783479; Mobile: 9811151464; Email: [email protected]; Website: www.rahimafrooz.com

This company was trading previously as LINTEK brand, established by Praveen Kumar Sood, chairman of the Regnant group in 1995. The company offers the widest range of technologies in the SMF VRLA segment in India, with gel batteries, deep cycle batteries, gel deep cycle and front terminal batteries.The company has spread its network through its trusted channel partners, which are located all over the country, and has entered into strategic tieups with big OEM users of SMF batteries in segments like UPS systems and solar lanterns, etc.

“We are ready to hit the next phase of growth in the financial year 2010-11. Keeping in mind our philosophy of ‘breeding innovation through application’, we will bring out a slew of new products into the Indian market during this financial year,” says Praveen Kumar Sood.

Contact details: B-167 Freedom Fighters Enclave, New Delhi 110068; Ph: 011-29535381; Fax: 011-29534272; Email: [email protected]

Shree Veerji Battery was established in 2005 by its current managing director B Chittrapal Seth. The company is a prominent manufacturer of SMF VRLA batteries and markets its products in India under the brand name, Plasmaa.

It has a state of the art plant at Sirohi, Rajasthan. The company’s products find application in UPS systems, emergency lights, weighing scales, solar appliances, wind energy appliances, telecom and EPABX systems.

The company also caters to the automotive industry and its products are used in a special range of e-bikes, e-scooters and cycles. It has OHSAS 18001-2007, ISO 9001-2008 & ISO 14001-2004 accreditation. “Currently we have more than 3 per cent market share and plan to double that figure. Going forward, we will start exporting our batteries, since we have been getting several export enquiries,” says B Chittrapal Seth.

Contact details: Marketing Office: Office No 1, Jessan Street, Off Woods Road, Chennai 600002; Ph: 044-28603039; Mob: 9840080042, 9929091991; Fax: 42027311; Email: [email protected]

Founded in 1992, Su-Kam is India’s largest producer and supplier of power inverters. With a market share of over 50 per cent, Su-Kam products have set benchmarking standards for the industry. The company has five manufacturing units—one in Gurgaon, three in Baddi and one in Katha, Himachal Pradesh. The Katha unit exclusively manufactures SMF batteries, making Su-Kam the first Indian company to have its own manufacturing set up of SMF batteries.

Su-Kam is also the first Indian company in the power solutions business to receive ISO 9001:2000 accreditation for its quality management system and ISO 14001:2004 for its environmentally sound production process.

“We are a multi product, multi technology company and a leader in the field of power backups, with technologically advanced products, sophisticated marketing skills and shrewd business acumen. But the real secret of our success lies in our close relationship with our customers,” says Kunwer Sachdev.

Contact details: 54, Udyog Vihar, Phase VI, Sector-37, Gurgaon 122001, Haryana; Ph: 0124-4170500; Fax: 0124-4038702,4038700; Email: [email protected]; Website: www.su-kam.com

Established in February 2006, TATA AutoComp GY Batteries Ltd (TGY) is a 50:50 joint venture between TATA AutoComp Systems Ltd (TACO) and GS Yuasa International (GYIN), Japan, set up with an investment of Rs 1.37 billion.

Headquartered in Pune, TATA Green Batteries is a state of the art ecofriendly manufacturing facility situated at MIDC Ranjangaon, near Pune. Spread over 60,000 sq m, the facility has a capacity of 2.5 million batteries per annum. The company has 22 variants in automotive batteries (for two-wheelers, passenger cars, utility vehicles, commercial vehicles and farm vehicles) and inverter batteries. They are available in six versions—Titanium (premium), Platinum (standard), Gold (economy), the recently launched Silver Plus and Gold XT (new versions in the economy segment), and the Silver range (sub economy).
“The marketing operations of TATA Green Batteries are backed by an extensive national sales and service network, which comprises 18 CFAs, 250 channel partners and about 6000 retailers,” says Arijit Dutta.

Contact details: TACO House, Damle Path, Off Law College Road, Erandwane, Pune 411004; Ph: 020-66251611; Fax: 020-66085000; Email: [email protected]; Website:www.tatagreenbattery.com

U&C Batteries (P) Ltd was founded in 1992 with the aim of providing the latest rechargeable battery solutions to meet the ever increasing demand for portable energy storage. Originally starting out as a pioneer in the indigenous development and manufacture of sealed cylindrical nickel cadmium batteries, U&C now offers leading technologies in rechargeable alkaline, lithium ion and VRLA batteries. With three decades of experience, U&C Batteries designs, develops, manufactures and markets rechargeable batteries for the OEM (industrial and medical electronics) and replacement markets.

“The cornerstone of our success is a commitment to technology innovation and customer satisfaction. Whatever be the application and requirement, we will help develop the right battery for the power supply,” says P Chandra Mohan Rao.

Contact details: Plot No 46, 8-7-169, HAL Employees Colony, Old Bowen Pally, Secunderabad 500011; Ph: 040-40268580/27757161; Mob: 9246548887; Fax: 27755761; Email: [email protected]; [email protected]; Website: www.ucbatteries.com