Eveready Industries

  Eveready Industries India, Ltd (EIIL) (formerly known as Union Carbide India, Limited) is the flagship company of the B.M. Khaitan Group. The brand Eveready has been a part of India since 1905.

EIIL's principal activities are the manufacture and market of batteries, flashlight cases, electrolytic manganese dioxide and arc carbons. It also manufactures photo-engravers plates/strips for printing, castings, hard facing and tube rods, carbon electrodes and other related products. The company also produces and markets tea. The Group's operating facilities are located at Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, NOIDA, gurgaon and New Mumbai. During the fiscal year 2002 the group sold its wholly subsidiaries Dufflaghur Investments Limited and Natex Investment and Marketing Limited. Batteries accounted for 51% of fiscal 2002 revenues; Tea, 38%; Flashlight cases, 9%; Electrolytic Manganese dioxide, 1%; Purchased products, 1% and Others, nominal.

EIIL is the world’s third largest producer of carbon zinc batteries, selling more than a billion units a year. EIIL is India’s largest selling brand of dry cell batteries and flashlights (torches), with dominant market shares of about 46% and 85% respectively.

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History

Early history

EIIL started its operation in India in the year 1905. The first dry cell batteries were imported from USA and sold in the major cities of the country. These batteries were primarily used in imported torches.

In 1939, the company set up its first battery plant in Kolkata. This was followed by another battery manufacturing plant in Chennai in the year 1952. It was only logical for the company to set up a torch manufacturing plant to boost up the market for batteries. Accordingly, a torch manufacturing plant was set up at Lucknow in the year 1958. Today it is one of the largest torch manufacturing plants in South East Asia. The plant manufactures the full range of brass, aluminum and plastic torches.

In 1969, the now infamous factory in Bhopal, an overnight train ride from New Delhi, was opened.

Success

By the time of the Bhopal Disaster in 1984, the company was ranked twenty-first in size among companies operating in India. It had revenues of Rs 2 billion (then equivalent to US$170 million). Fifty-one per cent of the company (known at the time as UCIL) was owned by Union Carbide Corporation; remaining shares were held by 24,000 stockholders. Ten thousand people were employed in five operating divisions that manufactured batteries, carbon products, welding equipment, plastics, industrial chemicals, pesticides, and marine products. EIIL became part of the Williamson Magor Group through McLeod Russel Ltd in the latter half of 1994 following the sale of Union Carbide Corporation's stake in UCIL. UCIL is primarily a dry-cell battery manufacturer at the time, but as part of the Williamson Magor Group EIIL launched three brands of packet tea under the Greendale Brand umbrella - Tez, Jaago and Premium Gold. Coupled with EIIL’sbrands of packet tea are now easily available in most states in India. In 1997, the Eveready brand was extended to its packet tea business. McLeod Russel Ltd. eventually merged with Eveready Industries.

Since EIIL does not have the license to market its products under Eveready outside India, Bhutan and Nepal, it was imperative to identify a new brand name for the export market. Accordingly, brand LAVA was launched in 1999. LAVA batteries and flashlights have been sold in Dubai, Bahrain, Jordan, Sudan, Egypt, Bangladesh, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan, Mexico, US, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia and Nigeria.

In 2005, EIIL celebrated its 100 anniversary in India. That same year, EIIL separated its bulk tea business and de-merged McLeod Russell. EEIL also acquired the ailing BPL Soft Energy System in 2005.

Milestones

• 1905: National Carbon starts its Indian operations with sale of batteries imported from USA.
• 1926: Ever Ready Company India sets up the first arc carbon factory at Canal Road, Kolkata.
• 1934: Eveready Company incorporated as a private company on 12th November.
• 1939: Camperdown Works - first modern battery plant established at Cossipore in Kolkata.
• 1941: Union Batteries merges with Eveready Company and the name is changed to National Carbon Company.
• 1951: Renamed as Union Carbide India Ltd, a subsidiary of world wide multinational, Union Carbide Corporation.
• 1958:Company set it's torch manufacturing plant in Lucknow,one of the largest in south asia.
• 1959: Name of the company changed to Union Carbide India Limited.
• 1984: Bhopal Gas Disaster at Union Carbide India LTD plant in Bhopal, India.

The Bhopal Disaster took place in the early hours of the morning of December 3, 1984,[1] in the heart of the city of Bhopal in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. A Union Carbide subsidiary pesticide plant released 40 tonnes of methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas, immediately killing nearly 3,000 people and ultimately causing at least 15,000[2] to 22,000 total deaths. Bhopal is frequently cited as one of the world's worst industrial disasters.[3][4] The International Medical Commission on Bhopal was established in 1993 to respond to the disasters.

• 1995: Sale of shares of Union Carbide Corporation in Union Carbide India Ltd to Mc Leod Russel (I) Ltd. belonging to the Williamson Magor Group and a new name - Eveready Industries India Ltd (EIIL).
• 1996: Mc Leod Russel (India) Ltd, merged with EIIL, bulk tea business brought into EIIL fold.
• 2000: Bishnauth Tea Company merged with Eveready Industries India Ltd.
• 2005: Brand EVEREADY is hundred years.