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Informist, Saturday, Jul. 26, 2025

By Avishek Rakshit

KOLKATA – Aiming to increase revenue from exports, Exide Industries Ltd. is rolling out new innovative products and exporting to countries where it did not have any presence before, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Avik Roy said Saturday.

In 2024-25 (Apr-Mar), exports accounted for 8% of Exide's annual revenue, Roy said. "We have plans and have come out with a lot of innovative products targeted towards exports which we have never done in the past," Roy said, responding to queries of shareholders at its 78th annual general meeting.

He said tepid demand in Europe had led to muted export sales in FY25. "Our automotive (battery) exports have recorded a strong double-digit growth, however industrial exports were impacted due to weak European market environment – there was demand drop in Europe both for economic and geopolitical issues and therefore we saw a decline in the industrial activity," Roy said, adding that Exide is aiming to increase the share of revenue from exports to its total revenue. In FY25, Exide reported a top line of INR 165.9 billion, of which exports accounted for over INR 13 billion. Such exports earned the company an incentive of around INR 430 million in FY25 as against an incentive of INR 444 million in FY24.

"Commercial production of the new AGM (absorbent glass mat) technology, enhanced flooded batteries, will be made available to new and existing markets," he said. "We have entered new countries where we were not there in the past just to make our business more resilient and more distributed across the world and not focus on one or two geographies," he told shareholders.

Exide is also considering exports of its upcoming lithium-ion battery cells besides boosting export sales from the current portfolio. Exide also exports high-value batteries for submarines after obtaining the necessary government approvals.

In FY25, Exide manufactured six sets of submarine batteries. Of these, two sets were supplied to the Indian Navy, two set of batteries were exported to the navy of another country, and remaining two battery sets are set to be exported by the September quarter of the current financial year.

In its Annual Report for FY25, Exide said it secured new orders from the Indian Navy and submitted offers for additional sets. It also anticipates new export orders. Exide is also looking for new future opportunities to export submarine batteries and is engaged in active discussions with potential overseas customers to supply them in FY26.

Roy said Exide is optimistic about financial growth in the current fiscal year and is engaging in discussions with major original equipment manufacturers and data centre operators in India to boost sales. At the same time, the company will be investing INR 12 billion to INR 13 billion for its lithium-ion cell manufacturing unit which is currently under construction, and in other plants producing lead acid based products. Of the planned investment, INR 6 billion to INR 7 billion will be invested in the lithium-ion cell unit which will take its total investment in this plant to INR 47 billion to INR 48 billion, and the residual investment of INR 5 billion will be made in plants producing lead-acid batteries.

On Friday, shares of the company closed 2.7% lower at INR 380.60 on the National Stock Exchange.  End

Edited by Ashish Shirke

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