Lead-acid battery makers operation slowed further as COVID-19 took its toll

SHANGHAI, Apr 10 (SMM) – Operating rates across Chinese lead-acid battery plants continued to decline this week, as global lockdowns amid Covid-19 have led to the cancellation of export orders and disrupted deliveries.

Finished goods inventory accumulation in the wake of weaker-than-expected back-to-school season consumption also forced lead-acid battery producers to scale back operations after entering a low season for electric bike batteries.

An SMM survey showed that operating rate across lead-acid battery producers in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hubei and Hebei provinces averaged 63.47% in the week ended April 10, down 1.56 percentage points from last week. The decline was larger than a 0.2 percentage point dip in the prior week.