Amco Batteries

Amco Batteries

Type	Public
Industry	Battery
Founded	1932
Headquarters	Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Key people	Ramachandra S[1] (CEO)
Products	Automotive Battery, Inverter Battery, Genset Battery, UPS Battery
Parent	Amalgamations Group
Slogan	Batteries For Life
Website	www.amco.co.in

Amco Batteries Limited is a leading automobile and commercial Battery manufacturing company headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.^[2][3] It is a part of Rs.15,000-crore Amalgamations Group, one of India's biggest light engineering groups in India.^[4][5] Started in year 1932 today Amco is the leading supplier of batteries to companies like Honda, Hero Moto Corp, Bajaj, TVS, Yamaha, Royal Enfield etc.

History

Amco was founded by Becken Bain, a German national. the company subsequently became part of Amalgamations Group in 1955. Amco began operations under the stewardship of late S Anantharamakrishnan. The company saw exponential growth and expansion under the leadership of late Chairpersons, Dr. A. Sivasailam and Ms. Jayshree Venkataraman.^[6] It is currently the leading automotive battery manufacturer in the country.

Milestones

1932

• Accumulator Manufacturing Company Pvt. Ltd is set up by Mr. Becken Bain, a German national

1955

• Purchased by AMALGAMATIONS Group who infused fresh capital. Production commenced under the stewardship of late Mr. Anantharamakrishnan with late Mr. K.G. Parameswaran as M.D.^[7]

1964

• Signed technical collaboration with M/s. Gould Inc.^[8] The only battery company in to make all battery components in house including containers and rubber separators
• Commenced exports to Yugoslavia and USSR and became the largest battery exporter from India. AMCO was awarded status of Export House by the Government of India
• AMCO was First Indian Company to make Train Lighting Cells for Railways. This was the initial production
• In the late 1960s, the strategic shift to add automotive batteries in the product mix taken up

1971

• Foundation laid for modern plant at Hebbal, Bangalore

1974

• On Jan. 01, commercial production commenced in Hebbal plant^[9]

1976

• Export Battery Division commenced at Hebbal plant for making traction batteries

1980

• AMCO celebrates its Silver Jubilee and expands business to contract manufacturing for MNC brands like MICO, Crompton, etc.

1984  

• Collaboration with YUASA Corporation ^[10]
• AMCO becomes the first battery company to supply batteries to all newer generation vehicles of Hero Honda Motors Ltd., Yamaha Motors India Pvt. Ltd, TVS Motor Company Ltd and Bajaj Auto Ltd.

1985-86

• AMCO adds Maruti Udyog Ltd. with supply of NS40 batteries. Market moves to Poly Propylene batteries and AMCO starts supplies of such batteries to OEMs including TAFE, Mahindra, TELCO, Ashok Leyland etc.

1992

• Export markets become less attractive. AMCO  shifts focus to gain dominance of domestic market for automotive batteries

1993

• TAFE-Power Source Division is born, with state of the art manufacturing facility at Maraimalai Nagar to enable AMCO to sell more batteries.

1994-96

• AMCO took a decision to become an automotive battery company, returning to the Group’s core competencies in the automotive sector.
• First Battery Company in to get ISO 9001 certification in 1994. Today the company  has been certified for  ISO 14001, QS9000 and now TS16949, ensuring the highest quality parameters

2004  

• Parts ways with YUASA Corporation, to emerge with a greater resurgence, more dynamism and better products.^[11] OE fraternity grows to include Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Ltd., LML, Kinetic Motors etc. in the 2wheeler segment. In the 4wheeler segment, VST Tillers Ltd, SAS Motors (Manufacturers of Angad Tractors), Cummins India Ltd, Toyota Kirloskar Motor Ltd became OE customers.

2005

• AMCO’s Hebbal operations shifted to Mysore Road with a state of art battery line.  
• Undisputed leader in two wheeler market, two out of three new generation vehicles on the road have AMCO
• Recipient of Vendor Awards from M/s. Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt Ltd., M/s. Hero Motocrop Ltd., M/s. Bajaj Auto Ltd, M/s.International Tractors Ltd., and M/s. Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd.
• A large dealer network of over 1000 dealers spread all over India keeps the Brand AMCO alive and growing, enabling good sales. The after sales service support for OEMs is also provided by the same dealer fraternity in addition to supporting their own sales

Amalgamations Group

The Amalgamations Group is among India's top Light Engineering Conglomerates.^[12] The group has 47 companies under its fold which operate 50 manufacturing plants. The Group has presence across Manufacturing, Plantations, Trading & Distribution and Services.^[13]

Group Companies

• Amalgamations Repco Ltd
• L.M. Van Moppes Diamond Tools India
• Stanadyne Amalgamations (P) Ltd
• Speed-A-Way (P) Ltd
• Shardlow India Limited
• IP Rings Limited
• The Madras Advertising Co. (P)Ltd
• The United Nilgiri Tea Estates Company Ltd
• Alpump (P) Ltd
• Amalgamations Valeo Clutch (P) Ltd
• Higginbothams (P)Ltd
• George Oakes Limited
• Bimetal Bearings Limited
• AMCO Saft India Limited
• Amalgamations (P)Ltd
• Simpson & Company Ltd
• KFL
• TAL
• TAFE
• Addision
• IPL

References

1. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramachandra-s-9810016
2. "Amco Batteries". Company Wiki. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
3. "Amco Batteries". The Hindu, 21 April 2006. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
4. "Amalgamations Group". Forbes India. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
5. "Company Overview of Amalgamations Group". Bloomberg. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
6. "Jayshree Venkatraman is Chairman of Amco Batteries". The Hindu. 9 March 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
7. Venkataraman, P. Industrial Relations. APH Publishing. p. 91. ISBN 978-81-313-0072-5.
8. "Amco Batteries". The Hindu. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
9. "Amco Batteries' Hebbal Plant". Hindustan Batteries. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
10. "Amco YUASA partnership". Economic Times. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
11. "Amco, Yuasa Corp to part ways, end alliance". Economic Times, 10 March 2005. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
12. "Amalgamations Group". Bloomberg. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
13. "Amalgamations Group". Bloomberg. Retrieved 4 May 2016.