Exide Industries, manufactures and markets secondary lead acid storage batteries covering every facet of automotive and industrial applications in capacities ranging from 2.5 Ah to 20,600 Ah. The company is a global supplier to American Power Conversion, the largest UPS manufacturer in the world. Besides, it also caters to other multinationals like Siemens and Ericsson and other major players such as TVSE, HTL, Tata Liebert, Numeric and ITI. Exide exports batteries which have captured niches in South-East Asian and European markets. A technology tie-up with Shin-Kobe, Japan, the makers of world class Hitachi VRLA batteries has given Exide the technological edge in maintenance-free batteries. Other strategic technology agreements with Furukawa, Japan and Oldham, U.K. has given it a competitive edge. The company made significant inroads into the rural markets with its special thrust on replacement batteries for tractors and heavy commercial vehicles. The company has a market share of more than 75% in the branded automotive after-market segment. Costs controls and improvement in productivity in all its eight factories has helped negate the impact of rising raw material prices. Exide has launched new GenX batteries in 2005. It has come up with a new strategy of combining advantages of cost and technology, to differentiate its products. It exports its products to West Asia and Europe and has entered into new markets in Qatar, Kenya, Portugal, Honduras, Italy, France and Netherlands.
