THE CHANGING STRUCTURE OF THE LEAD-ACID-BATTERY INDUSTRY IN EUROPE

In September 1989, with its first edition, Batteries International, in conjunction with the Lead Development Association, published a map of European battery factories. This has recently been revised to include Eastern Europe and the countries that border the Mediterranean Sea. During the three years since publication of the original map, major economic and political changes have occurred in Europe. As well as the advent of the European single market, there has been the liberalization of the Eastern European countries and the CIS. With the help of information gathered during revision of the map, the impact of these changes on the structure of the European lead/acid battery industry is examined.