Exide
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA global stored-energy company whose Exide brand covers lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries, chargers, recycling, and energy-storage systems.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Exide is a battery and stored-energy brand with roots in The Electric Storage Battery Company, founded in the United States in 1888 by William Warren Gibbs. The company initially commercialized stationary lead-acid storage batteries for electric-lighting providers and electric rail systems. In 1900 it introduced a lighter, higher-capacity battery carrying the Exide name, derived from “Excellent Oxide.” The brand subsequently became associated with automotive starting batteries, industrial power, transportation, telecommunications backup, and battery recycling. During the first half of the twentieth century, Exide supplied batteries for emerging electrical and transportation technologies. Its batteries powered the USS Holland, the first submarine commissioned by the United States Navy, and the company became an important supplier of submarine batteries and military electrical equipment. Exide also worked with Charles F. Kettering on the automotive battery needed to complement the electric starter, helping establish the modern vehicle-battery format. During the First and Second World Wars, its products were used in radio equipment, aircraft communications, submarines, and electric torpedoes. NASA used solar-charged Exide nickel-zinc batteries on Apollo missions. The business expanded through acquisitions and corporate reorganizations. It acquired Willard Storage Battery Company in 1902, Giant Storage Battery Company in 1938, and Ray-O-Vac in 1957, the latter taking the company into dry-cell batteries. The Electric Storage Battery Company became part of ESB Incorporated in 1967. After a series of ownership changes, the Exide unit was sold to First Chicago Investment Corporation and Spectrum Group principals in 1983. Exide acquired General Battery Corporation in 1987, moved its headquarters to Reading, Pennsylvania, and became publicly traded in 1993. The acquisition of GNB Technologies in 2000 strengthened its North American automotive-battery business. Heavy acquisition-related debt led to a Chapter 11 filing in 2002. Exide exited bankruptcy in 2004 after a court-approved restructuring. It filed again in 2013 and emerged in 2015 with substantially reduced debt. The company later expanded its motive-power portfolio through the 2018 acquisition of Aker Wade Power Technologies and pursued additional financing and recapitalization transactions. In 2019, Battery Systems acquired Exide’s branch-network business and became the exclusive distributor of Exide-branded aftermarket transportation batteries in the relevant network arrangement. Exide filed for Chapter 11 protection again in 2020 to facilitate the sale of its North American assets. Atlas Holdings acquired substantially all of the operating assets of the Americas business through a court-supervised process. Atlas subsequently launched Stryten Manufacturing and Element Resources as standalone businesses. Exide continued operating as an international battery and energy-storage company, with activities centered particularly in Europe and markets outside the divested North American operating business. The modern Exide portfolio includes automotive, commercial-vehicle, heavy-duty, powersport, marine, recreational-vehicle, lawn-and-garden, and golf-cart batteries; motive-power batteries and chargers for material handling; batteries for rail, mining, and submarine applications; and stationary systems for telecommunications, uninterruptible power supplies, utilities, solar energy, and other critical infrastructure. Technologies include flooded lead-acid, absorbed glass mat, enhanced flooded, gel valve-regulated lead-acid, and lithium-ion systems. Exide also promotes closed-loop battery management and recycling, recovering lead, plastic, and sulfuric acid from spent batteries. Its history has nevertheless included serious environmental and legal controversies, especially allegations concerning lead emissions, contaminated communities, and improper sales practices.
History
Exide traces its corporate lineage to The Electric Storage Battery Company, established in 1888 by William Warren Gibbs. Gibbs acquired the ideas and patents of inventor Clement Payen and focused on making stationary storage batteries commercially useful to electric-lighting companies. By 1893 the company was producing lead-chloride accumulators for grid stabilization. Exide-related systems later supported electric street railways, demonstrating the company’s early role in fixed electrical infrastructure. The Exide brand appeared in 1900 on a battery designed to provide greater capacity with less weight for electric taxicabs. The name was an abbreviation of “Excellent Oxide.” The company’s early transportation work expanded in 1911 when Charles F. Kettering sought a suitable battery for his electric automobile starter. The resulting product helped establish the basic form of the modern automotive battery. Exide also supplied power for aircraft radio sets and radio stations during the First World War. The company broadened its manufacturing base through acquisitions. In 1902 it created Willard Storage Battery Company after acquiring battery-making assets in Cleveland. It acquired Giant Storage Battery Company in 1938 and subsequently expanded into chargers and testing equipment. During the Second World War, Exide was a major supplier of batteries for U.S. Navy submarines and a primary contractor for batteries used in the Mark 18 electric torpedo. Its military and marine credentials continued the company’s earlier association with the USS Holland submarine. In 1957, the company acquired Ray-O-Vac and entered the dry-cell battery market. NASA used solar-charged nickel-zinc Exide batteries on Apollo missions, extending the brand into space-related power applications. The Electric Storage Battery Company became part of ESB Incorporated in 1967. ESB acquired Edison Storage Battery Company in 1972, although production of Edison’s nickel-iron battery technology was discontinued in 1975. Between 1974 and 1978, ESB became Inco Electroenergy Corporation following a hostile takeover. Inco sold its Exide Corporation unit in 1983. Exide Corporation acquired General Battery Corporation in 1987 and moved its headquarters to Reading, Pennsylvania. The company became publicly traded in 1993. In 2000 it acquired GNB Technologies, a North American automotive-battery supplier. The acquisition program contributed to a large debt burden, and Exide entered Chapter 11 in 2002. It exited in 2004 after a plan eliminated approximately $1.3 billion in debt. The company filed for bankruptcy again in 2013. The filing followed environmental and operational difficulties, including scrutiny of several lead-acid manufacturing and recycling sites. Exide emerged in April 2015 after reducing debt by approximately $600 million. It appointed Victor M. Koelsch as president and CEO in May of that year. Exide later raised financing, announced a grid-manufacturing facility in Kansas City, acquired Aker Wade Power Technologies in 2018, and completed a further financing and recapitalization transaction in 2019. The same year, Battery Systems acquired Exide’s branch-network business. In May 2020, Exide and four subsidiaries filed for bankruptcy protection to facilitate a sale of the North American business. Atlas Holdings acquired substantially all operating assets of the Americas business through a court-supervised process. Atlas subsequently created Stryten Manufacturing and Element Resources. Exide continued its international operations, with a portfolio spanning transportation batteries, motive power, stationary network power, renewable-energy storage, chargers, monitoring, and recycling. Environmental issues have been a persistent part of Exide’s history. Former employees raised workplace-protection concerns as early as the 1930s. From 2010 onward, regulators and communities connected several Exide facilities with elevated airborne lead or other pollution concerns. The Vernon, California recycling plant closed in 2013 after years of community complaints and regulatory scrutiny. Beginning in 2017, California agencies undertook a major program to remove lead-contaminated soil from residential properties near the facility. Exide also faced a major fraud case involving allegations that used or defective batteries were sold as new through Sears. The company pleaded guilty in 2001, while two former senior executives were later sentenced to prison. Exide presents battery recycling as a central capability. Its closed-loop model is intended to collect spent batteries, recover lead and plastic, neutralize sulfuric acid, and return recovered materials to battery production. The brand’s recent product development has included lithium-ion systems and the Solition Mega Three containerized energy-storage platform, while its commercial-vehicle products have been promoted through trade events such as Equip Auto.
- 2024
Solition Mega Three introduced
[1]Exide unveiled a new generation of its containerized energy-storage series.
- 2020
Americas assets sold to Atlas Holdings
[1]Atlas Holdings acquired substantially all operating assets of Exide’s Americas business through bankruptcy proceedings.
- 2018
Aker Wade acquired
[1]The acquisition expanded Exide’s industrial motive-power portfolio.
- 2015
Exit from second bankruptcy
[1]Exide emerged from Chapter 11 after reducing debt by approximately $600 million.
- 2013
Second Chapter 11 filing and Vernon closure
[1]Exide filed for bankruptcy protection again and closed its Vernon, California recycling plant.
- 2002
First Chapter 11 filing
[1]Exide sought bankruptcy protection amid approximately $2.5 billion in debt.
- 2000
GNB Technologies acquired
[1]The acquisition strengthened Exide’s North American automotive-battery business.
- 1993
Public listing
[1]Exide became a publicly traded company.
- 1987
General Battery acquired
[1]Exide acquired General Battery Corporation and moved its headquarters to Reading, Pennsylvania.
- 1967
Merger into ESB Incorporated
[1]The Electric Storage Battery Company became part of ESB Incorporated.
Products and positioning
A global stored-energy and battery-management provider combining transportation batteries, industrial power, stationary energy storage, and recycling capabilities.
Transportation batteries
Automotive batteries
Exide supplies starting, lighting, and ignition batteries for cars, trucks, SUVs, commercial vehicles, marine and recreational vehicles, powersport equipment, lawn and garden machinery, and golf carts. Product technologies include conventional flooded batteries, enhanced flooded batteries, absorbed glass mat designs, and gel valve-regulated lead-acid batteries.
Industrial batteries
Industrial and motive-power batteries
The industrial portfolio supports forklifts and other material-handling equipment, as well as rail, mining, submarine, and specialized industrial applications. Exide also supplies battery chargers, fast chargers, monitoring tools, and related power-management services.
Stationary energy storage
Network-power and UPS systems
Exide provides stationary lead-acid and lithium-ion systems for telecommunications networks, uninterruptible power supplies, utilities, data and critical facilities, and other applications requiring standby or backup power.
Containerized energy storage · 2024
Solition Mega Three
Solition Mega Three is a containerized energy-storage platform introduced as a newer generation of Exide’s stationary storage series. It is positioned for larger-scale energy-storage use cases, including renewable-energy integration and grid-related applications.
Recycling and services
Battery recycling and total battery management
Exide’s recycling model collects spent lead-acid batteries and processes their lead, plastic, and sulfuric acid for reuse or treatment. The company has described this as closed-loop recycling or total battery management, intended to integrate collection, recycling, and supply of recovered materials.
Controversies
2017
California residential lead cleanup
California regulators began removing lead-contaminated soil from residential properties near the former Vernon plant. The effort covered multiple Los Angeles County neighborhoods and was described as one of the state’s largest cleanups of its type.
2013
Vernon recycling-plant pollution controversy
Exide’s battery-recycling plant in Vernon, California became the focus of federal and state investigations over alleged releases of lead and other harmful pollutants. The facility closed in 2013 after years of complaints from surrounding communities.
2001
Sears battery-sales fraud case
Exide pleaded guilty to conspiracy-related fraud charges and agreed to pay a $27.5 million fine after allegations that used or defective batteries were sold as new to Sears customers and that bribes were used to conceal the conduct. Two former senior executives were later imprisoned for their roles.
Marketing campaigns
- 2025Equip Auto commercial-vehicle showcase
France · Europe
Exide announced that its Fulmen commercial-vehicle battery line and other developments would be presented at the Equip Auto trade fair in Paris.
Brand decisions
2024
Solition Mega Three launchProduct launchBackground
Exide continued developing containerized systems for stationary and renewable-energy storage.
Action taken
The company unveiled Solition Mega Three as a new generation in its containerized energy-storage series.
2020
Sale of Americas operating assetsM&ABackground
Exide entered bankruptcy protection while seeking a transaction for its North American assets.
Action taken
A court-supervised process transferred substantially all operating assets of the Americas business to Atlas Holdings.
Aftermath
Atlas launched Stryten Manufacturing and Element Resources as standalone companies, while Exide continued its international business.
2018
Aker Wade Power Technologies acquisitionM&ABackground
Exide sought to broaden its industrial motive-power capabilities.
Action taken
Exide acquired Aker Wade Power Technologies.
Aftermath
The transaction expanded Exide’s offering for material-handling and related industrial applications.
2013
Second bankruptcy and restructuring planStrategyBackground
Exide faced renewed financial pressure as well as regulatory and environmental scrutiny at several facilities.
Action taken
The company filed for Chapter 11 protection to cut debt and implement a restructuring plan.
Aftermath
Exide emerged in 2015 with approximately $600 million less debt.
Debt reduction. Approximately $600 million reduced (2013-2015)
2002
Chapter 11 restructuringStrategyBackground
Large debt accumulated through acquisitions placed pressure on Exide’s balance sheet.
Action taken
Exide filed for Chapter 11 protection and pursued a court-approved restructuring.
Aftermath
The company exited bankruptcy in 2004 after eliminating approximately $1.3 billion in debt.
Debt eliminated. Approximately $1.3 billion eliminated (2002-2004)
Recent events
Reported
HDFC Life agrees to acquire Exide Life Insurance[3]
HDFC Life agreed to acquire Exide Life Insurance for Rs 6,687 crore, with Rs 726 crore to be paid in cash and the remainder through HDFC Life shares issued to Exide Life's parent. The first stage was expected to turn Exide Life into a wholly owned subsidiary by December-January; this was a planned future step, not a reported completion.
- Unconfirmed
Reported
Exide files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection[4]
Exide Technologies and some of its U.S. subsidiaries filed voluntary petitions for relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.
Reported
Exide launches lithium material-handling battery and fleet software[5]
Exide Technologies unveiled its new GNB Sonnenschein Lithium Material Handling Battery and introduced its cloud-based GNB Fleet fleet-management software.
Reported
Exide and EDP agree on solar plant for Spanish factory[6]
Exide and EDP agreed on a 15-year project for EDP España to develop and deliver a photovoltaic plant for self-consumption at Exide's San Esteban de Gormaz factory in Spain. The plant is planned to use around 4,000 solar panels.
Sources7 sources
- 1Exideen.wikipedia.org
- 2Exide Technologies official websiteexide.com
- 3HDFC Life同意收购Exide Life Insurancetimesofindia.indiatimes.com
- 4Exide在美国申请Chapter 11破产保护autoserviceworld.com
- 5Exide推出锂电物料搬运电池及车队管理软件prnewswire.com
- 6Exide与EDP达成协议，为其西班牙工厂建设太阳能电站cieonline.co.uk
- 7Exide files for bankruptcy; Muncie plant for salethestarpress.com
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