Uniross charges into leading position (hktdc.com)


	Boris Duhamel is bullish about the potential for rechargeable batteries

With world attention increasingly focused on eco-friendly products and a sustainable environment, Paris-based Uniross, a specialist in rechargeable batteries, is certainly making strides in the right direction.

What is there to prevent a battery which can be reused nearly 1,000 times from world domination? According to Boris Duhamel, Managing Director, Uniross Batteries (HK) Ltd, the perceived problem boils down to economics. "It costs four times more than a primary alkaline battery but if you use it four times, you get back the cost," he explained.

Mr Duhamel is very bullish about the potential for rechargeable batteries given the global awareness for environment protection and the phenomenal growth of the digital devices market. "We design and distribute rechargeable batteries and chargers, which are a viable economic and ecological alternative to the throw away batteries. We have set up associations to collect and recycle used batteries. We are also co-founders of RECHARGE, the European association for the promotion and management of rechargeable batteries through their lifespan."

He added: "We have heard that in the near future, some European retailers will stop selling primary batteries. In some places in Europe, rechargeable batteries already account for 30 per cent of the market value in batteries." This would sound like pure music to Uniross, which has a strong presence in major European stores like Carrefour, Auchan, Tesco, Centremart and Lotus.

Global expansion

Uniross has been a rechargeable specialist since 1968 when the company was first set up in the UK. Through a series of acquisitions by French telecommunications giant Alcatel and battery manufacturer Saft, and a management buy-out led by current CEO Christophe Gurtner, Uniross became an independent company in 2001.

"We started with 35 people with offices in France, UK and Italy and were serving primarily these markets," Mr Duhamel said. Fast forward seven years, the headcount is now 700 people worldwide with offices and representative offices in Asia Pacific, South Africa and the US, and distributors around the world. From a 20 million euro business, Uniross has grown to a 100 million euro business. In 2006, it was listed on the Paris Stock Exchange and acquired two companies in the US.

Mr Duhamel says the success boils down to the company's vision. "We knew way back in 2001 that we had to develop internationally and adopt a segmented market approach. That is how within seven years, Uniross has grown from a small European company to a worldwide SME with presence in five continents."

Hong Kong has helped Uniross in the charge towards becoming the number one European leader in rechargeable batteries and number three in the world. The Hong Kong office was set up in 2002 to look after the Asia Pacific region and Middle East, and to coordinate a factory set up in Zhongshan in the Pearl River Delta in 2003. "In order to innovate, we must have our own production facilities. We already have an R&D centre in Paris," said Mr Duhamel.

Asia Pacific hub

The choice of Hong Kong as a regional headquarters for Asia Pacific was clear from the start, he said. "Hong Kong is one of the most efficient places in the world to set up a business. It is also the hub of Asia. All the buyers of rechargeable batteries visit the Hong Kong Electronics Fair twice a year. We used to exhibit in the early years but now all the international buyers come to us direct."

The Hong Kong office is the showroom for Uniross' products and services. The 12 staff are in charge of sales, marketing, global purchasing and logistics support. "Asia accounts for 10 per cent of Uniross' global sales volume. We predict that this will grow because of China and India and will inevitably expand this category of rechargeable batteries globally."

Hong Kong's proximity to China also played a key role in Uniross' success. "I can be in and out of Hong Kong and China within a day. We have a state-of-the-art factory with an average of 350 workers. We have 25 people in our worldwide quality control unit and 15 are stationed in our Zhongshan factory."

From commercial products, Uniross has branched out into Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM), B2B and private labels. "We are the key supplier to most retailers in Europe with their own brand of rechargeable batteries," Mr Duhamel explained. "Our added value is our ability to industrialise the solutions we develop." Examples of industrial applications include improved strength batteries for payment terminals for credit card machines, domestic robotics such as vacuum cleaners, walkie talkies, cordless phones and toys.

"Uniross can provide the solution for any product needing an independent source of energy," said Mr Duhamel, a mechanical engineer by training. "Developing the most innovative solutions for lasting mobile power will enable Uniross to stay ahead of the competition."