assault and battery: the fall of the ever ready empire: a classic tale of british decline by david bowen - lithium battery manufacturers

Tanferdalia is located in the mountains of Durham County, only a few miles from Exeter.
This is a small village with a large factory that produces batteries.
15 years ago, the factory hired 1,500 people to produce more than 3 million batteries a day.
This is one of the best companies ever in the UK and one of the largest in the world.
Now it employs 200 employees and produces half a million units a day, the last outpost ever.
If the story of the British industry is told as a comic, Tanfield Lea will make the appropriate settings.
The two successive management sessions have been portrayed as their era: the 70 s of parental style and vague, ruthlessly short-lived
Termist in her 80 s
Now, a new group of managers at the American company Ralston Purina has taken over the job: its job is to rescue what it can do from the wreckage.
Reston, which is now vigorously promoting, is making energetic batteries.
The batteries of the future are alkaline;
But they are not made in Britain.
The UK was ready to be a pawn in the great company trading game.
Founded in 1914, the company's original parent company, American Electric novelty and manufacturing, was operating in the UK.
The US side was sold to the National Carbon, later United carbide, and a brand that later lost a letter and became Eveready.
The two companies have been in contact for years.
Their overseas business was merged before the Second World War, and then in the-
Trust pressure after.
After that, they competed, but there was a strict division of brand names.
The British can use the prepared name in Europe and use the Berec name elsewhere.
Americans use Ucar when they sell in Europe.
By the time it was in its Sixties, the UK was ready, to say the least, a comfortable location.
Its domestic market share is about the same, and the share of other important markets is also large, especially in South Africa.
Instead of doing too much advertising, it takes care of news agents and other small shops that sell a lot of blue and red vans for their products.
The company is also investing heavily in research and development: 250 people are working in a large laboratory in Tottenham, north London.
In the style of the time, management was remote and layered.
However, it does not lack ambition.
A manager said the big companies in their 60 s are beautiful and have been eager to become one of the world's largest battery manufacturers.
I used to buy Superpila in Italy and Daimon in Germany.
It also built Tanfield Lea, a large factory that looks more like industrial properties.
Over the years, as part of an agreement established in the North --east, only ex-
Coal miners were employed;
Until 1988, the first female talent appeared on the floor of the factory. Long-
The service staff admitted that there were too many factory personnel
Although, as one manager pointed out, this is a benefit in hindsight.
If you grew up with a specific staffing, you usually think it's right.
We think from a British perspective: we don't know what's going on in Japan.
Tanfield Lea continued to expand in his 70 s.
It produces zinc
Most of the conventional carbon batteries are sold abroad.
A new long
Life batteries based on Alkaline manganese are making progress in the United States, but British management has chosen to ignore it: They say it's too expensive and will never be popular.
Ready's research lab made alkaline batteries in 1973 but did not produce them.
A technician who applied for a sales job in his early 70 s was told that his job was to refute anyone who praised alkaline, although the advantages of alkaline were obvious.
Mobile products such as portable tape players can hardly work without them.
Chuck Parietti, director of operations in Europe, said they should be able to see a shift to alkaline by 1972 or 1973.
But they don't want to believe it.
Huge investment in zinc
It is understandable not to be willing to produce carbon.
In 1977, the monopoly and merger Commission forced the UK to prepare to sell its stake in Mallory, which produces Duracell alkaline batteries.
Duracell immediately lived in a supermarket neglected by the British.
Never put the battery in the blister package, and don't like the tough terms that the supermarket requires.
Duracell can't be so proud.
Looking back, the group has been steadfast in its path to disaster, but it needs an external issue to shake its complacency.
1977 Tanfield Lea sent nearly half of its production to Nigeria, winning the Queen's Export Award and earning a record annual profit.
Then a telex to cancel the import license came: more than 500 people were fired.
After that, nothing seems to be correct.
As part of its strategy to become a multinational company, management has set up a large factory in Hong Kong.
It used local merchants to buy a factory and tried to manage it from the UK.
The plant did not sell any batteries and lost several pounds.
In addition, the name of the company was changed to Berec-in order to be more international-
The name it uses outside the UK.
There was a frustration inside the company and a ridicule outside the company.
Giving up such a strong brand seems like a potty.
In 1978, the price Committee issued a report warning that the company was "shifting from a risk-minimizing situation to a situation where the opposite could occur ".
The managers began to agree.
In particular, they realized that they could not ignore Dulak.
Life information attracts millions of customers.
They dusted their alkaline batteries and installed a factory in newborn, near Newcastle, to make them.
They also decided to continue the development of zinc.
Chlorine battery.
This lasts longer than zinc.
Carbon, although less durable than alkaline, but lower manufacturing costs.
One manager said the battery was "a little holding ".
Its real appeal to the company is that, unlike alkaline, it can be made with existing equipment.
But to save the company's independence, they are too late, and the first phase of the company's decline has suddenly ended. In the 1980-
81 The recession, profits fell, shares fell, and Berec fell to Hanson.
Although James Hansen and Gordon White set up the Hansen trust in their 60 s, they have little to do in the 70 s UK, and they prefer to be in American politics
The arrival of the Conservative government, coupled with the prospect of the wealthy picking out from the recession, turned their attention to the family, and they soon identified Berec as a suitable case for treatment.
They launched a malicious takeover.
Berek fought hard to convince Thomas Tilin to take part in the battle as a white knight.
But in December 23, 1981, Hansen and Berk became the first in a series of 80 acquisitions.
Hansen acted quickly, fired the top management and changed his name back to what it was.
It shut down Tottenham's R & D business and pushed Tenfield Leah's small tech center to take over the job: it got 50 employees.
Abingdon's advanced project group was also sold to management.
Shortly thereafter, the labor force was reduced from 2,900 to 2,000;
314 of Tanfield Lea's 940 jobs were cut.
There was a big complaint at the time, but it is now difficult to find anyone who criticizes the R & D cuts.
The strong London center is run by Frank Tye.
A former manager said he was "a technology God with a reputation in the world," but he was more interested in academics than in the practical aspects of battery development.
'We are getting to know less and less topics, 'the manager said.
We don't know anything in the end.
The R & D operation of the company is a microcosm of the confusion.
In order to bypass Tottenham, a director set up the Tenfield Leia center: it was this that developed zinc-
Tye thinks this is a gimmick for chlorine batteries.
Another director started working on bromium and lithium batteries in Abingdon, where they were developed. After a six-
In a month's study, Hansen sold Dimon and Super Pita to du Lac.
There was anger in the company.
When other companies expand in the world, it is bad enough to withdraw their domestic bases;
But selling to Duracell is unforgivable.
Hansen still did not repent.
A consultant who worked for him said people were very disgusted with it.
But our analysis shows that most businesses are not worth owning because they are moving in their own direction --
The label means that the brand value is getting lower and lower.
Shareholders are certainly happy: The deal took back 40 of the £ 95 paid for the company.
Later, Ron Fulford, chairman of the board, began to apply the basic principles of Hansen's management.
A former manager said Fulford was called "digital Barrow"boy.
He is very confident and gives people their minds, but they will disappear in an instant if they don't behave.
The factory became a profit center and managers were given goals and learned how to report their performance on a regular basis.
There is a simple rule: you can only do something if you are profitable.
Most people think the new style is refreshing.
A person familiar with the matter said that Fulford would ruthlessly cut half the factory, but he would cut all the nonsense at the same time.
John McIndoe, director of work at Tanfield Lea, said you have a lot of autonomy.
As long as you produce results, you can get there no matter how much you evolve.
It's clear that Hansen thinks this is buying at lowtech, low-risk business.
According to a manager, A Hansen consultant visited the design department and asked if the advertising company could not complete the work.
This is a measure of how they see batteries, the manager said.
They quickly discovered that these products were at risk.
Hansen made the choice after realizing this.
Either it can beat Duracell with an alkaline battery;
Or, it can make the most of everything it has and extend and make as much profit as possible.
It chose the latter.
After that, everything Hansen has done is to manage the recession effectively, although it seems to be taking a positive line.
The alkaline battery was modified in Tanfield Lea and re-launched as gold seal three years later.
It sells a lot in the market, but a former Hansen man says it's a sandbag brand --
It was not designed to overhaul Duracell.
Hansen's managers find themselves facing unprecedented difficulties --
The first step ten years ago: how to sell alkaline batteries without cannibalizing other products.
In retrospect, it was a mistake that they chose to sell gold seals as one of the three batteries instead of as a completely different product.
The difference between alkaline zinc
Zinc chloride-
Most consumers lose carbon and they prefer Duracell's simple long-life message.
Gold Seal's share of the alkaline market has never exceeded 20 cents.
Hansen wouldn't be happy if there were, because the newborn plant can only produce half a million cells a day.
There is nothing to meet the needs of the market.
Another sandbag is zinc-
Chlorine battery.
Hansen accepted the logic of the previous management and saw the battery-
Launched as a silver seal-
As a useful way to extend the life of the factory.
The brand has been so successful that the famous Hanson-
Fisted authorized a 1 pounds investment in the automatic line of manufacturing batteries.
This is the only massive capital investment the UK has ever made.
Because the business is entirely driven by profitability, the volume of transactions is allowed to decline.
'Obviously, he's not ready to stay in the world for a while, 'he said.
Only when it is profitable will it do business
This means that it will not enter the new markets we seek, such as Russia and China.
At the same time, the continuous development of alkaline batteries continues to drive the sales of zinc: at present, they occupy more than half of the British market.
In the factory, due to the lack of investment, the staff is decreasing and the morale is getting lower and lower.
Cavan Ward, head of the packaging department, said that the layoffs happen every year.
"We thought, 'Oh, Christmas is over, and the layoffs are coming again '.
Starting at 80.
In addition, according to The Economist Intelligence Unit, the value share of the UK's 70-year-old market fell to 30 last year.
It's now over 35 cents worth of Duracell.
In terms of quantity, it is still leading, reflecting the higher value of Duracell products.
Hansen has never been bothered by market share, and from its own point of view he has done a good job.
A spokesman said Hansen believes that being prepared is a successful investment.
Our profit during our shareholding has quadrupled.
In the nine months ended June 1992, the company achieved a pre-tax profit of £ 10.
Sales are 61. 5m -
Return on sales of 16. 4 per cent.
It did a better job last year and earned 27 on 84. 9m of sales.
Understand one-
The National Battery Company is a mistake of the times, and Hansen twice tried to buy back international games.
It talked to Duracell and US Eveready, but none of that.
On last April, the company announced that it would sell it to Ralston Purina for £ 132.
Although it is a pet food company at root, Ralston has become the largest battery manufacturer.
In 1985, the manufacturer acquired our Eveready from United carbide.
Reston's approach is hardly different from Hansen's.
Suzanne Foley, regional director for Europe, said the battery is a performance problem.
Laston Prina is a marketing person.
But the marketing advantage comes from having the best mousetrap.
In addition to 30 factories, it has 400 people in R & D centers in the Midwest.
Chuck Parietti first came to Tenfield Lea two years ago.
Compared to other companies operating in a single country, I find it not surprising.
They tend to lack investment and small R & D: they are becoming dinosaurs in an era of rapid globalization.
He said that the factory that has never been ready has been behind in the best way for several yearsin-class.
The business they manage is slipping, and the infrastructure is weak.
An American tourist is smarter, according to a staff member.
It's a shit pit, he said.
Ironically, Reston Purina is at least as cruel as Hansen.
It is bringing everything ready back to an international network, but has decided that only Tanfield Lea is in line with its plan.
The factories in Telford and Wolverhampton are closing, and the labor force in newborn has been cut from 205 to 30. Zinc-
Production of carbon batteries has almost stopped.
Now import blue seals from Indonesia.
Tanfield Lea survived as the center of zinc
Production of chlorine.
In addition to making silver sealed batteries for the UK, it also made the Ucar version for Germany.
By next year, its labor force will pick up to 360 and eventually reach 400.
Exports account for 30 of production and are still climbing.
As a demand for zinc, he said, Reston will use his strength to find new markets in the third world --
There is a chlorine leak in the West.
This, coupled with a new character that provides components for this ready-to-be-ready empire, should ensure it stays busy for years.
The logic of cutting so many British capacity is hard to argue.
The American company has two alkaline battery factories in France and Switzerland, which are much larger than newborn.
There is a very clear
The decision to close it, said Paretti. 'It was under-
The cost of investment and production is much higher.
Some previous negligence is irreversible.
Reston spent £ 10 this year at Energizer's launch.
As before, it also spent a lot of money on research and development, but the effect was even greater.
For example, it has developed a battery that is thinner than human hair and can power devices implanted under the skin.
There is another incentive for environmental pressure: Mercury
The latest battlefield is free battery.
The number of research and development personnel in the UK has been reduced to 14 again.
It is now a satellite in the center of the United States.
Despite spending cuts, Bob Jones, head of the technology group, is still struggling to adapt to the new regime.
"I want to find someone to help," said the boss.
How about the budget?
He said don't worry about this.
Laston Purina has invested between five and seven million dollars, and we will put everything necessary into it, says Paretti.
Mackindo said the total investment of Hansen is less than 5 pounds.
The silver seal is 4 m heavy.
When Hansen was ready to sell, one of his financial advisers called it "tidying-up exercise'.
Cavan Ward has a different view on this.
If the Americans didn't come, the factory wouldn't be here in two or three years, he said. '(
Slightly) photos