April 3, 2025: Lead battery industry titans Ecobat and the Exide Group are celebrating a five-year partnership.

Exide battery specialist and UK account manager sales director, John Lees, said on March 27 that the firms’ initial collaboration, launched in December 2019 with Ecobat’s UK operation, had expanded to other regions including the Benelux, France and Spain.

The partners said they are now looking to build on their success of supplying batteries to the automotive and heavy duty sectors.

Ecobat Battery’s MD for UK and Ireland, Kevin Wood, said: “It’s been a successful strategy that will continue as we look forward to addressing the future opportunities together.”

Meanwhile, Ecobat said on March 25 it had been awarded a platinum medal from business sustainability ratings firm EcoVadis.

The rating places Ecobat among the top 1% of more than 125,000 companies evaluated globally across over 250 sectors and 185 countries.

Stefanie Scruggs, chief health, safety, environment and sustainability officer for Ecobat, said: “This recognition highlights the incredible work being done across our global operations. It’s a reflection of our collective impact and a benchmark for where we’re heading next.”

In Ecobat’s second annual sustainability report, released in June 2024, the firm pointed to various areas of business that had improved including a new process for increasing capacity in its smelters and the reduction of blood lead levels for its staff.

Batteries International reported last February that lead and lithium battery manufacturer Hoppecke had secured its second consecutive platinum medal from EcoVadis.