The Market

While the United States is in the midst of an economic slowdown, for the consumer electronics market it's still a case of "go, gadget, go!" The appetite for electronic devices of all kinds is running rampant, spurring innovation in the battery market to meet the needs of high drain devices.

The Specialists in Business Information, SBI, estimates that the total U.S. battery market rose two percent over the 2006 level of $7.9 billion to $8.1 billion, and worldwide, personal battery use is a $63 billion dollar industry.

This is based on an SBI report which contains data and analysis describing the U.S. market for batteries, with a specific focus on general household use batteries sold at mass market and a secondary focus on consumer product use batteries such as those used in personal electronics.

The total market number, however, does consider the broader market for context, including commercial, medical, industrial, institutional and government applications. The report provides a market number for lead-acid batteries, but otherwise does not cover this type of battery manufacturing or marketing.

The report explores economic factors affecting battery manufacturing, trends driving battery use and product innovation, consumer penetration and demographics for general household use batteries, promotion and retail activity, and the competitive environment affecting domestic battery demands. The report also profiles major marketers, along with manufacturer strategies used to maximize growth.

Report data were obtained from government sources, trade associations and publications, business journals, company literature, investment reports and interviews with industry professionals. Statistics describing the value of shipments for batteries are derived from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Economic Census and Annual Survey of Manufactures, then augmented through estimates and forecasts by SBI.

In most cases, historical data are provided for 1997 through 2007, with forecast data for 2008 through 2012. Simmons Market Research Bureau’s fall 2007 survey, based on a nationwide sample of U.S. adults, provides the primary research data on consumer penetration and demographics related to household batteries.