January 08, 2004

By: Adalie Schnider
Website: http://www.1st-in-batteries.com

Transfer to SANYO Electric Co., Ltd of Toshiba Group's Nickel Metal Hydride Battery business complete

SANYO Electric Co., Ltd., a world leader in battery technology, has announced the completion on April 27th of the successful transfer of the Toshiba Group's Nickel Metal Hydride battery business to SANYO based on the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between SANYO, Toshiba Corporation and Toshiba Battery Co., Ltd. agreed upon in October of 2000. Under the agreement, Toshiba Battery Takasaki factory, the manufacturing base for the Toshiba Group's Nickel Metal Hydride battery business, will be newly inaugurated as SANYO Energy Takasaki Co., Ltd. (referred to below as SANYO Energy Takasaki) at which SANYO Energy Takasaki will continue the Nickel Metal Hydride battery production.

SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. has been a world leader in the rechargeable battery industry beginning production of Nickel Cadmium batteries in 1964, Nickel Metal Hydride batteries in 1990, Lithium Ion batteries in 1994, and Lithium Polymer batteries in 1999. The Nickel Metal Hydride battery market has seen a rapid increase in demand as a power source for mobile phones and notebook computers. In the future, in addition to the use in information telecommunication devices the demand for Nickel Metal Hydride batteries is expected to increase as a power source for Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV).

SANYO has moved ahead in the development of Nickel Metal Hydride batteries for HEV and as was announced earlier this year, was selected as the sole supplier of Nickel Metal Hydride battery systems for the Ford Motor Company's first HEV sports utility vehicle the Escape HEV. Together with Nickel Cadmium and Lithium Ion batteries, will continue in the future to develop the Nickel Metal Hydride battery business as an important element of SANYO's rechargeable battery business. With this in mind SANYO has been looking to develop a more rapid, flexible structure in order to increase production as well as dispersing its manufacturing bases for improved risk management.

About The Author:

Adalie Schnider is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.1st-in-batteries.com.  A great resource for batteries of all kinds including camcorder, laptop,cell phone and more.