SHANGHAI, May 20 (SMM) – Operating rates at lead-acid battery producers across Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hubei, and Hebei provinces gained 1.85 percentage points from the previous week and averaged 51.27% in the week through Friday May 17, showed SMM data on Monday May 20.

Production at battery plants fully recovered from the May Day holiday last week, and a handful of small and medium-sized plants raised their operating rates by about 10 percentage points as finished goods inventory pressure eased after previous output curtails and public holidays. This accounted for the gain in the average operating rate.

Most plants continued to plan production on sales as end-market consumption remained sluggish. They have yet to begin to substantially step up production for better results in their mid-year reports.