Operating rates at lead-acid battery makers dipped on week

SHANGHAI, Sep 4 (SMM) – Operating rates across lead-acid battery producers in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hubei and Hebei provinces averaged 72.52% in the week ended September 4, down 0.46 percentage point from the previous week, an SMM survey showed.

New orders at e-bike battery and automotive battery makers decreased this week as declined lead prices dampened distributors’ enthusiasm for procurement. Export orders at some producers shrank as exchange rate of the yuan changed greatly, driving some automotive battery makers to reduce output for September. Other producers of e-bike batteries and communications batteries basically kept stable production.