Operating rates across lead-acid battery mills pick up after holiday

SHANGHAI, Jun 14 (SMM) – The average operating rate across lead-acid battery producers in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hubei, and Hebei provinces rebounded 1.75 percentage points from the previous week to stand at 49% in the week to Friday June 14, as producers recovered from the Dragon Boat Festival holiday. 

However, the rates across Jiangsu and Zhejiang, where many large battery producers for electric bicycles (e-bikes) are located, resumed slower than expected. The implementation of new national standards for e-bikes on April 15, further dragged on downstream consumption in a traditional slow season. This kept battery producers in Jiangsu and Zhejiang producing cautiously. 

SMM learned that most lead-acid battery mills continued to produce based on orders, as downstream demand failed to improve this week. 

Some battery producers in Henan province will resume soon as workers return from vacation across agriculture.