Energizer Holdings

Energizer Holdings

Encyclopedia

Tutorials

Encyclopedia

Dictionary

Directory

Email this to a friend Energizer Holdings

Energizer Holdings

Energizer Holdings (), headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, is an American manufacturer of multiple consumer products, including batteries, where it has a market share of approximately 25%.^[1] The company sells in over 165 countries.^[2]

History
Advertising
See also
References
External links

History

Vintage Eveready Flashlight, 1899

In 1896, Joshua Lionel Cowen invented a decorative lighting fixture for potted plants which consisted of a metal tube housing a light bulb and a dry cell battery. It failed commercially, and so Cowen sold his company and patents to Conrad Hubert that same year. Hubert renamed Cowen's company the American Electrical Novelty & Manufacturing Company.

In 1905, Hubert changed the name again to The American Ever Ready Company, selling flashlights and batteries under the trademark Ever Ready.

In 1914, The American Ever Ready Company became part of National Carbon Company. Hubert stayed on as president. The trademark was shortened to Eveready.

In 1917, National Carbon Company merged with Union Carbide to form The Union Carbide and Carbon Co.

From 1917 until 1921, Eveready used the trademark "DAYLO" for their flashlights and on their batteries.

In 1959, employee Lewis Urry invented the long-lasting alkaline battery. The company did not aggressively market the invention, however, and instead continued to market the old Zinc-carbon battery. As a result, the company lost significant market share to Duracell.^[3]

Prior to 1980, the company's alkaline battery had been called the Eveready Alkaline Power Cell. In 1980, it was rebadged under its current name, Energizer.

In 1986, Union Carbide sold its Battery Products Division to Ralston Purina for US$1.4 billion. At that time, the Eveready and Energizer batteries held 52 percent market share. The company under Ralston lost market share to rival Duracell.

In 1999, Energizer sold its rechargeable battery division, although it still markets them for retail sale.

In 2000, Ralston spun off Energizer and it was listed on the New York Stock Exchange.^[4]

Energizer currently maintains production facilities in Asheboro, North Carolina; St. Albans, Vermont; Maryville, Missouri; and Singapore. The current technology center is located in Westlake, Ohio.

In 2005, the Columbia dry cell battery developed by National Carbon Company (predecessor of Energizer) was designated an ACS National Historical Chemical Landmark in recognition of its "significant improvement over previous batteries, meeting consumer demand for a maintenance-free, durable, no-spill, inexpensive electrochemical power source".^[5]

Advertising

In 1986, Energizer highlighted an advertising campaign best known for Mary Lou Retton averring: "It's supercharged!"

In the late 1980s, Energizer rolled out an advertising campaign featuring Mark 'Jacko' Jackson and his pitch line "Energizer! It'll surprise you! Oi!".^[6]

Since 1989, the well-known Energizer Bunny has been featured in its television ads. The bunny was based on the similar Duracell Bunny used in the UK.

In Australia and the UK the mascot for for Energizer is a muscle-bound anthropomorphic AA battery. He performs his actions with extreme speed, which is intended to illustrate that Energizer batteries are long lasting.

Both the Eveready and Energizer marques are used under license by auto parts magnate Pep Boys for their in-house car batteries.^[7] The Energizer logo used by Pep Boys is similar to the 1980s-era logo first used with the consumer dry cell batteries.