GS Yuasa Raises Automotive Lead Battery Price by 10-15%

GS Yuasa Battery announced on Thursday it will raise the selling price of automotive lead battery, for both motorcar and motorcycle, by 10-15% on and after April 1. The firm raised the price for the first time since April 2004. Among Japanese auto battery makers, 3 firms recently announced the price hike including GS Yuasa Battery.Yuasa Corporation and Japan Storage Battery established a joint holding company, GS Yuasa Corporation, 2 years ago, which is the parent company of GS Yuasa Battery. GS Yuasa Battery raised the selling price of all lead batteries then. Then the firm raised the price by 10-15% for the products of former Japan Storage Battery and by 7-20% for the products of former Yuasa Corporation.However, lead price continued to increase after the price hike. Lead price at London Metal Exchange has surged by more than 40% with the speculative purchases under the lead supply tightness. GS Yuasa Battery could not cover the material costs increase enough by itself.GS Yuasa Battery will raise the selling price of all lead batteries for motorcar and motorcycle by 10-15% this time. GS Yuasa Power Supply, another group company of GS Yuasa Corporation, also announced in February the firm would raise its selling price by 15-20% on and after April 1 for industrial lead battery and small lead battery with control valves. GS Yuasa group will raise the price for all kinds of lead batteries then.As for motorcar lead battery, Shin-Kobe Electric Machinery raised its selling price by 10-15% since December 2005 and Matsushita Battery Industrial plans to increase the price by 15-20% on and after April 1. All Japanese major makers of traction battery practiced or announced the second price hike other than Furukawa Battery.