Providing the cartel office gives its approval, Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI, Milwaukee, Wisconsin / USA; www.johnsoncontrols.com), a tier-1 automotive supplier which claims to be the world´s biggest manufacturer of automotive starter batteries, will acquire the battery business of Hoppecke Automotive GmbH & Co KG (D-59914 Brilon; www.hoppecke.de). The purchase price is not being disclosed. The division with its integrated injection-moulding housing production is expecting sales in excess of EUR 110m. It thus accounts for almost half the overall sales at the family-run management company, Akkumulatorenwerke Hoppecke Carl Zoellner & Sohn GmbH, which will be focusing exclusively on industrial battery business in future.

Two reasons are being given for the acquisition. First of all, Hoppecke holds a leading position in the new production technologies for 42-volt batteries that will soon be responding to the growing demand for higher currents in the automotive sector. The “vlies.tec” brought on to the market this year, in particular, marks a pioneering product in this context. With the acquisition, JCI will be securing this innovation for itself. Secondly, JCI is currently the biggest manufacturer of starter batteries in North and South America but has no major European activities in this field as yet. Hoppecke Automotive has now provided an entry into the European market. Customers include DaimlerChrysler, Ford, MAN, Peugeot and Volkswagen. Given Hoppecke´s outstanding market position, innovative technologies and efficient production capacities, this will ensure that JCI is well on the way to becoming a global manufacturer of starter batteries.