Eveready Battery Company

Last updated
Eveready Battery Company, Inc.
Company typeSubsidiary
Industry Consumer goods
Founded1896 (as the American Electrical Novelty and Manufacturing Company)
Headquarters St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Key people
Alan Hoskins, CEO
Products Batteries
Parent Energizer Holdings
Website www.eveready.com

Eveready Battery Company, Inc. is an American manufacturer of electric battery brands Eveready and Energizer, owned by Energizer Holdings. Its headquarters are located in St. Louis, Missouri. [1]

Contents

The predecessor company began in 1890 in New York and was renamed in 1905. Today, the company makes batteries in the United States and China and has production facilities around the world.

History

January 1899 Ever-Ready flashlight ad mentioning the proceedings against the alleged patent-infringing rival companies Ever-Ready flashlight ad (1899).jpg
January 1899 Ever-Ready flashlight ad mentioning the proceedings against the alleged patent-infringing rival companies

On January 10, 1899, American Electrical Novelty and Manufacturing Company obtained U.S. Patent No. 617,592 (filed March 12, 1898) from David Misell, an inventor. [2] This "electric device" designed by Misell was powered by "D" batteries laid front-to-back in a paper tube with the light bulb and a rough brass reflector at the end. [3] Misell, the inventor of the tubular hand-held "electric device" (flashlight), assigned his invention over to the American Electrical Novelty and Manufacturing Company owned by Conrad Hubert. [2] [4]

In 1905, Hubert changed the name again to The American Ever Ready Company, selling flashlights and batteries under the trademark Ever Ready. In 1906 the British Ever Ready Electrical Company was formed for export of batteries; it became independent in 1914. In 1907 Ever Ready announced AA dry cell, and in 1911 it developed AAA dry cell. [5] [ third-party source needed ]

In 1914, The American Ever Ready Company became part of National Carbon Company. Hubert stayed on as the president. The trademark was shortened to Eveready. In 1917, National Carbon Company merged with Union Carbide to form the Union Carbide and Carbon Company. From 1917 until 1921, Eveready used the trademark "DAYLO" for their flashlights and on their batteries.

In 1957, employees Lewis Urry, Paul Marsal and Karl Kordesch invented a long-lasting alkaline battery using a zinc/manganese dioxide chemistry while working for Union Carbide's Cleveland plant. [6] [7] The company did not aggressively market the invention, however, and instead continued to market the zinc–carbon battery. As a result, the company lost significant market share to Duracell. [8]

Prior to March 1, 1980, the company's alkaline battery had been called the Eveready Alkaline Battery (1959–1968), Eveready Alkaline Energizer (1968–1974) and Eveready Alkaline Power Cell (1974–February 29, 1980). On March 1, 1980, it was rebadged under its current name, Energizer.

In 1986, Union Carbide sold its Battery Products Division to Ralston Purina Company for $1.4 billion. After the transfer, the division was named Eveready Battery Company, Inc., becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Ralston Purina. At that time, the Eveready and Energizer batteries held 52 percent market share. The company under Ralston lost market share to rival Duracell.

In 1992, it bought the British Ever Ready Electrical Company (manufacturer of Gold Seal and Silver Seal batteries) from Hanson Trust, [9] bringing its former subsidiary back under common ownership.

In 1999, Eveready sold its rechargeable battery division, although it still markets them for retail sale.

In 2000, Ralston spun off Eveready, and it was listed on the New York Stock Exchange as a holding company, Energizer Holdings, Inc., with Eveready Battery Company, Inc continuing as its most important daughter company.

The company's current U.S. production facilities for batteries and battery parts are located in Asheboro, North Carolina; Bennington, Vermont; Maryville, Missouri; and Marietta, Ohio; with a technology center for research located in Westlake, Ohio. [10] The majority of batteries are made in China. There are also numerous production facilities outside the US.

In October 2019, Eveready announced the planned closure of its Bennington, Vermont, plant. Production operations will be moved to a new facility in Portage, Wisconsin. [11]

Advertising

In the 1920s, the company sponsored The Eveready Hour on radio.

In 1941 after the United States entered World War II, the slogan changed to "Change your batteries, get a nickel!" to encourage economic growth.

In the 1970s, actor Robert Conrad was the spokesman for Eveready Alkaline Power Cells, in which he compared his tough physique to the performance of the battery placed on his shoulder, and daring someone to knock it off.

In the early 1980s, it utilized the slogan, "Energized, for life!", showing people using Energizers in everyday situations.

In 1986, the company highlighted an advertising campaign best known for Mary Lou Retton averring: "It's supercharged!"

In the late 1980s, there was an Australian advertising campaign featuring Mark 'Jacko' Jackson and his pitch line "Energizer! It'll surprise you! Oi!". [12]

Since 1988, the well-known Energizer Bunny has been featured in its television ads. The bunny was based on the similar Duracell Bunny, which was used in North America but is now used in the UK. Often, the bunny would appear in competition with inferior rival battery Supervolt, which was based on Duracell.

In Asia, Australia, NZ, and the UK, the mascot for Energizer is a muscle-bound anthropomorphic AA battery. He performs his actions with extreme speed, which is intended to illustrate that Energizer batteries are long lasting. This is primarily because Duracell advertises their batteries in the market using the Duracell Bunny.

Both the Eveready and Energizer marques are used under license by auto parts magnate Pep Boys for their in-house car batteries. [13] The Energizer logo used by Pep Boys is similar to the 1980s-era logo first used with the consumer dry cell batteries.

Both Eveready and Energizer are marketed as different brands in some markets in Asia. This has led to the availability of both "Eveready Gold" Alkaline batteries and Energizer Alkaline batteries on store shelves. However, both target different market segments and Eveready batteries tend to be marketed for lower end devices, while Energizer batteries are marketed for power-hungry devices and are priced accordingly.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duracell</span> Battery and smart power system manufacturer of the United States

Duracell Inc. is an American manufacturer of alkaline batteries, specialty cells, and rechargeables; it is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway. The company has its origins in the 1920s, through the work of Samuel Ruben and Philip Mallory, and the formation of the P. R. Mallory Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energizer</span> American multinational consumer goods company

Energizer Holdings, Inc. is an American manufacturer and one of the world's largest manufacturers of batteries, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. It produces batteries under the Energizer, Ray-O-Vac, Varta, and Eveready brand names and formerly owned several personal care businesses until it separated that side of the business into a new company called Edgewell Personal Care in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alkaline battery</span> Type of electrical cell

An alkaline battery is a type of primary battery where the electrolyte has a pH value above 7. Typically these batteries derive energy from the reaction between zinc metal and manganese dioxide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ralston Purina</span> American animal feed, food and pet food company

Ralston Purina Company was a St. Louis, Missouri,–based American conglomerate with substantial holdings in animal feed, food, pet food, consumer products, and entertainment. On December 12, 2001, it merged with Swiss food-giant Nestlé's Friskies division to form Nestlé Purina PetCare Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energizer Bunny</span> Commercial mascot

The Energizer Bunny is the marketing mascot of Energizer batteries in North America. It is a pink mechanical toy rabbit wearing sunglasses and blue and black striped flip-flops that beats a bass drum bearing the Energizer logo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duracell Bunny</span> Rabbit character to advertise batteries

The Duracell Bunny is an anthropomorphic pink rabbit powered by Duracell batteries, and trademarked for use in all parts of the world except the United States and Canada. Advertisements, which may feature one Duracell Bunny, or several, usually feature the bunnies competing in some way; for example, in a game of football, a drumming competition or a race. In advertisements, the Duracell Bunny is either a standard battery-powered toy, a stop-motion puppet, or a CGI animated character.

Lewis Frederick Urry was a Canadian-American chemical engineer and inventor. He invented both the alkaline battery and lithium battery while working for the Eveready Battery company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AA battery</span> Standardized type of battery

The AA battery is a standard size single cell cylindrical dry battery. The IEC 60086 system calls the size R6, and ANSI C18 calls it 15. It is named UM-3 by JIS of Japan. Historically, it is known as D14, U12 – later U7, or HP7 in official documentation in the United Kingdom, or a pen cell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">D battery</span> Standard battery size

A D battery is a standardized size of a dry cell. A D cell is cylindrical with an electrical contact at each end; the positive end has a nub or bump. D cells are typically used in high current drain applications, such as in large flashlights, radio receivers, and transmitters, and other devices that require an extended running time. A D cell may be either rechargeable or non-rechargeable. Its terminal voltage and capacity depend upon its cell chemistry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zinc–carbon battery</span> Type of dry cell battery

A zinc–carbon battery (or carbon zinc battery in U.S. English) is a dry cell primary battery that provides direct electric current from the electrochemical reaction between zinc (Zn) and manganese dioxide (MnO2) in the presence of an ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) electrolyte. It produces a voltage of about 1.5 volts between the zinc anode, which is typically constructed as a cylindrical container for the battery cell, and a carbon rod surrounded by a compound with a higher Standard electrode potential (positive polarity), known as the cathode, that collects the current from the manganese dioxide electrode. The name "zinc-carbon" is slightly misleading as it implies that carbon is acting as the oxidizing agent rather than the manganese dioxide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eveready Industries India</span> Indian battery manufacturer in Kolkata

Eveready Industries India Ltd. (EIIL) is an Indian company that manufactures and markets batteries and lighting products. The Eveready brand has been present in India since 1905. It also manufactures photogravure plates, castings, carbon electrodes and related products.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rechargeable alkaline battery</span>

A rechargeable alkaline battery, also known as alkaline rechargeable or rechargeable alkaline manganese (RAM), is a type of alkaline battery that is capable of recharging for repeated use. The formats include AAA, AA, C, D, and snap-on 9-volt batteries. Rechargeable alkaline batteries are manufactured fully charged and have the ability to hold their charge for years, longer than nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal hydride batteries, which self-discharge. Rechargeable alkaline batteries can have a high recharging efficiency and have less environmental impact than disposable cells.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the battery</span> History of electricity source

Batteries provided the primary source of electricity before the development of electric generators and electrical grids around the end of the 19th century. Successive improvements in battery technology facilitated major electrical advances, from early scientific studies to the rise of telegraphs and telephones, eventually leading to portable computers, mobile phones, electric cars, and many other electrical devices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">P. R. Mallory and Co Inc</span>

P. R. Mallory and Co Inc was a US producer of dry cell batteries, electronic components including electrolytic capacitors, and audible warning devices ("Sonalert"). It also was the parent firm of Mallory Batteries Ltd., an Irish producer of Ever Ready batteries. British Ever Ready had a large stake in it by World War II and had a close relationship with Mallory by the late 1960s. In the US, "Eveready" batteries were a trademark of Union Carbide, which had no relationship with P. R. Mallory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Ever Ready Electrical Company</span>

The British Ever Ready Electrical Company (BEREC) was a British electrical firm formed in 1906 as the export branch of the American Eveready Battery Company. In 1914 it became independent of its American parent company.

The National Carbon Company was founded in 1886 by the former Brush Electric Company executive W. H. Lawrence, in association with Myron T. Herrick, James Parmelee, and Webb Hayes, son of U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes, in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1890, National Carbon merged with Thomson-Houston, Standard Carbon, and Faraday Carbon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battery holder</span>

A battery holder is one or more compartments or chambers for holding a battery. For dry cells, the holder must also make electrical contact with the battery terminals. For wet cells, cables are often connected to the battery terminals, as is found in automobiles or emergency lighting equipment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lantern battery</span>

A lantern battery is a rectangular battery, typically an alkaline or zinc–carbon primary battery, used primarily in flashlights or lanterns. Lantern batteries are physically larger and consequently offer higher capacity than the more common flashlight batteries. Lantern batteries comprise multiple cells inside a housing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karl Kordesch</span>

Karl Kordesch was an Austrian chemist and inventor, most notable for jointly inventing the alkaline battery. In 1953 he moved to the United States as part of Operation Paperclip.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">N battery</span> Standard size of dry cell battery

An N battery is a standard size of dry-cell battery. An N battery is cylindrical with electrical contacts on each end; the positive end has a bump on the top. The battery has a length of 30.2 mm (1.19 in) and a diameter of 12.0 mm (0.47 in), and is approximately three-fifths the length of a AA battery.

References

  1. Eveready Battery Company, Inc. Privacy Policy Archived 2018-03-07 at the Wayback Machine , Retrieved 2010-10-30.
  2. 1 2 "Patent number: 617592 by David Misell" . Retrieved 2013-09-30.
  3. "History of Batteries (and other things)". Mpoweruk.com. Retrieved 2013-09-30.
  4. "Flashlight Museum". Wordcraft.net. Retrieved 2013-09-30.
  5. "About Eveready". eveready.com. Retrieved 2022-04-08.
  6. Gabriel Baird, "Greater Cleveland Innovations: Thomas Edison provided Lew Urry spark of idea for better alkaline battery," Cleveland Plain Dealer, August 03, 2011 (web version; accessed Dec. 4, 2011)
  7. US Patent 2960558 (in English)
  8. Energizer Holdings History International Directory of Company Histories. Retrieved 2010-10-30.
  9. "Assault and battery: The fall of the Ever Ready empire". The Independent. London. 27 June 1993. Retrieved 2010-02-20.
  10. Where we work Archived 2010-10-08 at the Wayback Machine , Energizer website. Retrieved 2010-10-30.
  11. Therrien, Jim (25 October 2019). "Officials poised to assist Energizer workers". The Bennington Banner. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
  12. "Mark 'Jacko' Jackson - Biography". IMDb. Retrieved 2022-04-08.
  13. Pep Boys Offers ENERGIZER Automotive Batteries with Lifecycle Technology Archived January 10, 2009, at the Wayback Machine