Lead-acid battery makers operating rates extended increase to 65%

SHANGHAI, Mar 27 (SMM) – Operating rates across Chinese lead-acid battery plants extended their increase this week as producers in Hubei, the epicentre of the COVID-19, accelerated their resumption of production lines. 

An SMM survey showed that operating rate across lead-acid battery producers in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hubei and Hebei provinces averaged 65.24% in the week ended March 27, up 4.39 percentage points from last week. Chinese lead-acid battery plants in areas besides Hubei maintained stable operations this week. 

Commuting restrictions amid COVID-19 have resulted in an increase in the number of workers that are working from home. This, together with China’s efforts to ramp up 5G construction, lifted consumption of energy storage batteries, and this kept producers of such batteries running at full capacity. 

An escalation in the virus outbreak overseas led to stricter regulations at ports and affected China’s exports of energy storage batteries and auto batteries. Foreign consumers have delayed their purchases, and its impact on China’s lead-acid battery production will be closely monitored.