Industrial Battery Division Sold

Johnson Controls sells the Industrial Battery Division

March 1, 1999 (PD: 201706)

A few of the many types of Dynasty brand batteries manufactured by Johnson Controls’ Industrial Battery Division as shown in a 1994 brochure

Johnson Controls sold its Industrial Battery Division to C & D Technologies, a producer and marketer of electrical power storage and conversion products, for $120 million in cash on March 1, 1999.

The Industrial Battery Division had sales of $87 million for fiscal year 1998.  It produced industrial batteries under the Dynasty brand name for the uninterruptible power supply needs of the telecommunications, broadband cable, and other industries.  Nearly 80% of the Division’s sales came in North America, with the remaining 20% in Europe and Asia.

The Division had its start in 1972 as a part of Globe-Union, which Johnson Controls acquired in 1978.  It operated one manufacturing plant which was located in Milwaukee.

Johnson Controls also sold a related battery joint venture business in Shanghai, China to C & D in August 1999 for $15 million in cash.