SHANGHAI, Mar 20 (SMM) – Operating rates across Chinese lead-acid battery plants extended their increase this week as more producers in Hubei, the epicentre of the coronavirus, restarted operations. 

An SMM survey showed that operating rate across lead-acid battery producers in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hubei and Hebei provinces averaged 60.85% in the week ended March 20, up 10.3 percentage points from last week.

Major producers moved up a gear as they accelerated hiring and more workers have returned. Accelerated operations in Hubei were the major driver behind the overall higher operating rate this week, as the province is home to a slew of large-scale carmakers, telecom enterprises and lead-acid battery producers. Companies in Hubei have been allowed to resume production since March 10 as the COVID-19 outbreak became more contained. 

Operating rates of some producers in Hubei remained limited amid manpower issues as Hubei adopts a gradual way in proceeding with production recovery.