Austria-based lead batteries veteran Banner has booked record sales of more than EUR300 million ($348m) for the first time in the firm’s 80-year history.
The company said revenue for the year ended March 2018 was up 11% over the previous year— with growth driven by “strong demand for starter batteries for start-stop vehicles”.
Figures included sales of enhanced flooded batteries (EFB) to Germany’s BMW group from the start of this year, which Banner said reflected continued reliance on mainstay lead-acid products.
A total 4.6m starter batteries were sold over the past financial year and Banner said it opened two new markets— Mongolia and Paraguay.
Banner co-owner and commercial CEO Andreas Bawart said the firm was “convinced” it could further boost sales of its leading AGM and EFB start-stop batteries.
Bawart said the company was more than ready to “face the challenges” of developments in the electric vehicle sector.
“E-mobility has become an integral part of the automotive branch and Banner has responded to this trend with systematic efforts aimed at creating the next generation of standard starter batteries,” Bawart said.
“We are already a part of e-mobility because every e-car still requires a conventional starter battery for the supply of its electrical system.”
BBB reported earlier this year that Banner had invested more than EUR50m in its Leonding manufacturing plant over the past six years— and had committed a further EUR15m to expand production capacity.
