Operating rates at lead-acid battery makers edged lower on subdued demand

SHANGHAI, Jun 12 (SMM) – Operating rate across lead-acid battery producers in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hubei and Hebei provinces fell for the second straight week as of June 12, edging down 0.18 percentage point from a week ago to 63.42%, showed an SMM survey.

It is understood that end-users demand for lead-acid batteries remained subdued. Producers of electric bicycle batteries and auto batteries extended promotions for finished products or scaled back operations, so as to clear in-plant inventories. 

In Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, where a slew of e-bike battery enterprises are located, sluggish end-users consumption, cautious purchases by distributors and producers cash-in inclination in the middle of the year prompted local battery mills to control inventories and cut operating rates. 

Producers of energy storage batteries, meanwhile, held their operating rates at relatively higher levels as exports improved with the resumption of deliveries to overseas consumers.