Dry cell battery giant Eveready Industries is expecting that new alkaline batteries will double its share in the battery portfolio in next few years. However, the overall share of batteries in its portfolio is likely to go down with the growth of its lighting and flash-light businesses. The company is also planning to project Ultima as an independent brand for alkaline batteries.

Eveready managing director Suvamoy Saha told reporters here that alkaline batteries now constitute only 4% of the total battery business of the company going by volume but it is growing at 24-25% so in next few years alkaline would have 10% share of battery business.

The traditional zinc carbon battery would remain as a major segment. In India, alkaline constitutes only 6% of the market compared to 50% in China, 60% in Brazil and 80% in the US. Elaborating on the battery business, he said last year it had a growth of 13.5% but this year it would be high single digit as the company is restructuring its distribution operation. “We are making our distribution tighter. From 5000 distributors we shall have 1000. We are present in 4.1 million outlets which can be managed through this new distribution,” he added.