Nippo Batteries Company

YEAR                       EVENTS
 1972 - The company was incorporated on 15th July, 1972.  The object
 of
        company is to manufacture all types of cells & batteries
        including manganese dioxide dry cells & batteries & their
        components.  Battery cells are sold under the brand name
 NIPPO.
        The Company was promoted by P. Obul Reddy, S.R. Jiwarajka and
        Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Japan, (MEI).
 
      - The Company entered into a technical and financial
 collaboration
        agreement with Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.,
 Japan,
        who agreed to supply equipment and plant, provide technical
        know-how for the operation of the plant and to subscribe to
 the
        equity capital of the Company.
 
      - 1,66,667 shares allotted to directors, etc.  2,50,000 shares
        reserved for Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.; 2,25,000
 shares
        against foreign exchange and 25,000 shares against technical
        know-how, 2,08,333 No. of equity shares offered at par to the
        public in December.
 
 1980 - 3,12,500 No. of Equity shares issued at par as rights in the
        proportion 1:2.
 
 1981 - Licence was received to increase the licensed capacity of the
        plant at Nellore to 120 million pieces per annum from 60
 million
        pieces.
 
 1985 - Machinery for new automatic production line was installed at
 the
        Tada factory for the manufacture of UM-3 (penlite) size
        batteries.
 
 1986 - Letters of intent were received for various products
 including
        expansion of capacity for dry cell batteries.
 
 1988 - The R&D department developed special batteries for Indian
        Defence.
 
 1989 - The Nippo brand torch light was launched.
 
 1991 - The Company proposed to undertake manufacture of a new
 variety
        UM-3 metalclad batteries at Tada factory with an annual
 capacity
        of 60 million pieces.
 
 1994 - A new model flash light `Sleek' in the mini model category
 was
        marketed at the end of the year.
 
      - 9,37,500 bonus equity shares issued in prop. 1:1.
 
 1995 - The company had launched two new products for catering to the
        premium segment in UM-3 and UM-1 sizes.  The UM-3 PG with a
 much
        longer life was launched for the growing photo Audio market
 and
        the UM-15 with better performance was launched for heavy duty
        appliances like Toys etc.
 
 1996 - The Company introduced new torch light in the mighty model
        segment using 4 cells of size R-20.
 
 1997 - The Company had launched another model BF-103, using 3 cell
 UM-1
        type batteries which met with good market response.
 
      - The Company was planning to increase production capacity of
 UM-IP
        variety by 120 million pieces in order to cater to the
 increase
        market demand.
 
      - A letter of intent was received to manufacture 120 million
        batteries at Alwar, Rajasthan.  The Company also obtained
        permission of Government to manufacture 20,000 sets of tape
        recorders-cum-transistors.
 
      - The Company proposed to issue bonus shares to the existing
        shareholders in the ratio of 1:1.
 
 1998 - Indo National Ltd. (INL), engaged in the production of dry
        batteries and torch lights, has embarked on an expansion of
        production capacity of UM-1P variety of dry cell batteries by
        120 million pieces per annum at its Nellore factory.
 
      - INL, the flagship company of the Obul Reddy group, is the
        second largest player in the dry cell battery segment.  It
 has
        a technical collaboration with Matsushita Electric Industrial
        Co. Japan.  The company has been as steady performer and has
        built up a strong brand equity with its Nippo brand.
 
      - The company is especially strong in the UM3 segment of the
 dry
        cell battery.
 
      - 18.75,000 Bonus equity shares issued in prop. 1:1.
 
 1999 - Indo National (INL), the maker of Nippo brand of dry cell
        batteries, is the second largest player in the industry; it
 has
        a marketshare of about 27%.
 
      - INDO National Ltd is exploring the possibility of introducing
 one
        more variety of dry cell (UM-1), with a false bottom, to
        strengthen the existing product range of the company.
 
      - INDO National Ltd plans to invest Rs. 15 crores for setting
 up
        an additional production line to manufacture pencil size
 (UM-3)
        batteries at its plant in Tada, Andhra Pradesh.
 
      - The company had a total installed capacity of 250 million
        pieces per annum of the UM-3 variety.
 
 2000 - The Company has entered into a tripartite agreement with CDSL
 &
        NSDL on 30th March through Cameo Corporate Services Ltd.
 
      - Indus-League flagship Indo Nation has launched Khaki Club, a
        collection of washed shirts, trousers, T-shirts, bermudas,
        cargoes, combats etc.
 
 2002
 
 -Appoints Mr Justice S Natarajan and Dr Dave Surendra as the
 Directors on the Board of the company.
 
 -Appoints Mr Tomio Kawabe as the Director of the company in place of
 Mr M Sato.
 
 2003
 
 -Nippo Batteries signs up cricketer Yuvraj Singh as its brand
 ambassador.
 
 2005
 
 -Indo National Ltd. has informed that the Company's name has been
 changed from Indo National Limited to Nippo Batteries Co. Ltd. with
 effect from July 15, 2005
 
 2007
 
 -Nippo Batteries Co. Limited has appointed Mr. J. Srinivasan
 appointed as Company Secretary cum Compliance Officer of the Company
 with effect from April 16, 2007.
 
 -Nippo Batteries Company Ltd has appointed  Mr. Masaaki Watanabe as
 Additional Director of the Company in place of Mr. M Shiga with
 effect from July 18, 2007.