Kenya’s Associated Battery Manufacturers (ABM) has started production of VRLA car batteries following a Sh600m ($6.85m) upgrade of its Nairobi factory.
The first battery to roll off the production line is the Powerlast VRLA, a Chloride Exide branded battery.
ABM is the manufacturer of Chloride Exide batteries, which are made at an ISO 9001 certified production plant in Nairobi. The firm has a countrywide dealer network with branches in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
Guy Jack, managing director of ABM, explained the decision to establish what he claimed to be the first ‘maintenance free’ (MF) VRLA battery factory in East Africa. He said: “Our sister company Chloride Exide Kenya Limited has been importing MF batteries for several years to meet the growing preference for them. Users are happy with MF batteries because they eliminate the need for adding up with distilled water.
“As the popularity of MF batteries has shown a steep rise, we have invested heavily in the machinery needed to make them at our Kampala Road factory. After comprehensive field and laboratory tests which proved that our MF batteries exceed all the international parameters they are now available for all motor vehicles and generators.”
Jack added ABM would continue to make flooded lead-acid batteries.