The standard series of AA rechargeable NiMH batteries, from mainland China-based Huanyu, supports 2,200mAh capacity.

New batteries are environmentfriendly and have protective circuitry features. New chargers have faster and intelligent charging functions.

The NiMH batteries/packs and battery chargers industry is thriving, as rival lithium batteries continue to face safety issues.

In the battery line, most mainland China makers have halted product development as the NiMH line has reached maturity, but this does not mean that the industry is slowing down. New models with better performance are still being released, and production is predicted to be stable despite challenges such as the rising costs of nickel powder and plastic. Hong Kong makers, meanwhile, have a healthy outlook for their NiMH batteries. Most produce regular and ready-to-use NiMH batteries that feature environment-friendly materials and high recharge cycles.

The battery range includes AAA, AA, C, D and 9V types. Capacities range from 600mAh to 1,000mAh for AAA batteries; 1,300mAh to 2,800mAh for AA batteries; 4,000mAh to 4,500mAh for C batteries; and 5,000mAh to 9,000mAh for D batteries; and 160mA to 250mA for 9V batteries.

Chargers, on the other hand, consist of constant-current and fast-speed battery chargers from mainland China makers, and basic and advanced chargers from Hong Kong makers. Depending on the model, Current fast chargers can charge in 15 minutes, 30 minutes or from 3 hours to 4 hours. Being developed on the mainland are models with LCD screens and indicators, multiple outputs and fire-resistant features, and in Hong Kong are models with more charging cycles and higher capacities.

The majority of makers export the bulk of their output through OEM and ODM terms. Europe and the United States are the major export markets.

	From Hong Kong, Everfast's basic readyto- use battery and charger set includes two 2,300mAh readyto- use AA batteries and a compact overnight charger.

Huanyu Group Co. Ltd, set up in 1982, is engaged in the R&D and production of four series and more than a hundred models of batteries and battery packs, including NiCd, NiMH, lithium and lead acid.

One of Huanyu's NiMH batteries is the Ni-MH AA2200mAh, a standard series of AA rechargeable NiMH batteries with 2,200mAh capacity. It features a discharge rate suitable with power tools.

All of Huanyu's products can be used in mobile phones, notebook PCs, UPS, telecom products, electric tools, toys and emergency lights. The company cooperates with Lenovo, Uniross, Makita, Black & Decker, GlobTek, Vtech and Saft.

untong Power Co. Ltd's major products include NiMH, NiCd, Li-ion and Li-polymer batteries with UL and CE approvals and RoHS compliance. These include high-rate 10C/13C/15C/20C/25C Li-polymer batteries and NiMH batteries for remote controls; high-rate Li-ion batteries and high capacity Li-polymer batteries for electric bicycles and vehicles; Li-ion and NiMH batteries for power tools; high-temperature NiMH batteries for lighting fixtures; and high-capacity NiMH batteries for the consumer market.

Model YT4300SCP from Yuntong is a 4,300mAh NiMH battery pack for hobby and remote-controlled toys. It comes with different voltages: 7.2V, 8.4V and 9.6V. The battery pack also features 10C continuous discharge rate.

Zhongshan-based Yuntong has been manufacturing batteries since 1992. It will focus on developing new batteries with high energy capacity, better discharge rate, and tolerance to high and low temperature environments.

Hong Kong makers bank on the NiMH battery-dependent consumer electronics segment to keep their NiMH battery business—consisting of conventional and ready-to-use units—afloat.

Minwa Electronics Co. Ltd's conventional NiMH batteries are available with up to 2,800mAh capacity for AA units and 1,000mAh for AAA units. The maker's ready-to-use batteries have up to 2,200mAh capacity for AA and 900mAh capacity for AAA.

Vanson Electronics Ltd's Combo Instant Power Rechargeable Batteries line is a series of battery-and-charger sets featuring one or two ready-to-use AAA or AA batteries and a choice of travel, plug-in overnight and quick chargers. The highest capacity for Vanson's ready-to-use batteries is 2,100mAh for AA and 800mAh for AAA. Vanson's batteries support up to 1,000 recharge cycles and are environment-friendly.

Everfast Rechargeable Ltd offers up to 2,800mAh capacity for classic AA NiMH batteries and 2,300mAh capacity for the ready-to-use units. The company does not expect higher capacity to beavailable in ready-to-use batteries until after July 2007. The charge in Everfast's ready-to-use batteries stays intact for about one year. After that period, the batteries are still fully functional as rechargeable batteries. Like classic NiMH batteries, ready-to-use batteries attain their full charge potential after about the fifth charging cycle. One drawback for ready-to- use batteries is the lower recharge cycles. Everfast claims that the supported recharge cycle in its ready-to-use batteries is about 800 cycles, but this also depends on the charging times the batteries are subjected to.

Hollyland Co. Ltd has a wide range of regular NiMH consumer batteries in AAA, AA, C, D and 9V versions. Its AAA batteries feature 600mAh to 900mAh capacity and support 1.2hr to 2.4hr charging time at 400mA to 700mA charging current. The AA versions feature 1,300mAh to 2,700mAh capacity and support 1.2hr to 2.3hr charging time at 950mA to 1,600mA charging current. The C batteries carry 4,000mAh to 4,500mAh capacity and support 2.3hr charging time. The D batteries have the largest capacity range, from 5,000mAh to 9,000mAh with 2.3hr charging time at 3,500mA to 5,000mA charging current. The company's 9V NiMH batteries carry 160mAh to 250mAh capacity and 1.2hr charging time at 160mA to 250mA charging current.

Although priced about 10 percent more than regular NiMH batteries, Minwa reports that its ready-to-use NiMH batteries, known under its eneReady line, have received good buyer response. The company started offering the products in time for the Autumn Hong Kong Electronics Fair last year. Minwa anticipates the market for consumer NiMH batteries to continue its healthy growth since the majority of consumer electronics are still highly dependent on these types of batteries because Li-ion batteries are still saddled with safety issues.

Everfast started providing ready-to-use batteries in February 2007. The company expects ready-to-use batteries to replace its classic NiMH batteries over the next one or two years, and regular NiMH batteries will be relegated to the entry-level market.

According to Everfast, ready-to-use rechargeable batteries have growing markets in both the United States and Europe. The company does not expect rechargeable lithium cells to eat into the market share of NiMH any time soon due to the latter's support in the consumer electronics industry.

Vanson, a long-time maker of power supplies and rechargeable batteries, has also recently released its line of ready-to-use NiMH batteries under its Combo Instant Power Rechargeable Batteries line.

Hollyland, which is expanding its battery business under its battery arm, ATC Batteries Industries Co. Ltd, has increased its products to include a wide range of NiMH batteries for the consumer electronics market.

	Model MW 8998, from Hong Kong's Minwa, supports up to 10 AA/AAA and two 9V NiMH batteries. It features individual charging channels for each battery and delta V protection.

Mainland China's constant-current chargers and fast-speed chargers feature LED indicators and compatibility with AA and AAA batteries. Fast-speed chargers, which have been more popular for their short charging time, come with built-in microcomputer controllers that can regulate the charging temperature and charging time, and turn to trickle charging mode after the batteries are fully charged. All these control functions ensure that the batteries are fully charged and not damaged.

Fine Dragon Technology Ltd offers model D-C1206, a constant-current charger compatible with one or two pieces of AA, AAA, NiMH or NiCd rechargeable batteries. The unit comes with an LED display, 100V to 240V AC input voltage and 2x1.2V output voltage. It has 500mA maximum charge current and trickle charging. The plug can be disassembled to suit U.S. and Europe sockets.

Interviewed mainland makers are developing new chargers that will feature LCD screens and indicators.

Yuntong's new chargers will feature multiple outputs to enable users to charge several battery packs at one time.

"We will continue improving our production processes and make our products more user-friendly, reducing internal resistance, expanding capacity, and improving the discharge features. The company will also continue working on reducing energy consumption and waste," said Fine Dragon's sales representative Nick Zheng. Fine Dragon releases three or four NiMH battery chargers every year. This year, it plans to improve production to make chargers user-friendly. Its new products will also be fire-resistant and environment-friendly, and will feature digital LCD and tone indicators.

In Hong Kong, overnight chargers are usually the cheapest types of chargers because these do not integrate any protective circuitry. The current supported by such products is usually very minimal and does not pose a danger to overheating or overcharging.

In terms of quantity, overnight chargers account for the largest share in Minwa's sales. Nonetheless, Minwa makes sure that its overnight battery chargers still carry the product approvals required in its export markets, such as GS, SE, SAA, CE and PSE.

Minwa's advanced chargers carry protective features such as delta V, short circuit protection, overload protection, temperature protection and bad battery detection for the highcurrent charging.

Like Minwa, Vanson makes sure that its products carry certifications such as UL, KEMA and CE, regardless of whether these are required or not, as in the case of its overnight chargers. Its overnight chargers integrate reverse polarity protection, auto cut-off safety timer and short circuit protection.

Overnight chargers are also Everfast's basic charger offerings. The low price of these products is due to the fact that they hardly carry any product certifications. The low current in these products does not warrant any safety approvals. Everfast's overnight chargers typically provide 8hr to 14hr charging. The products' low current levels require no overcurrent or temperature-protection circuitry. Reverse polarity is the only protective circuitry in these products. Everfast's high-end battery chargers feature delta minus detection, which slows the charging current once the charger detects that the cell is nearing full capacity. Charging current then trickles in to charge the remainder of the cell for effective charging. All of Everfast's smart chargers carry this feature and are able to detect the optimum rate for each NiMH cell.

Everfast's more advanced chargers support 3hr to 4hr, 30min and 15min charging time. As a rule, faster chargers are more expensive. Based on the company's experience, customers do not generally care to bundle fast chargers with battery-and-charger sets that come with as many as four batteries.

	Hollyland of Hong Kong has a wide range of rechargeable NiMH batteries in AA, AAA, C, D and 9V form factors.

Mainland China and Hong Kong interviewees said that product prices will be dependent on the costs of raw materials. The cost of nickel powder in April 2007 was about $48,000 per ton, which is a 100 percent increase over the previous year.

"During the past year, the cost of nickel powder has doubled, so our NiMH battery prices have been adjusted accordingly," said Larry Aee, Yuntong's export manager.

Fine Dragon expects prices of rechargeable NiMH batteries, battery packs and battery chargers to increase because of the continuous rise of nickel powder and plastics costs. Yuntong likewise predicts prices of NiMH battery chargers to increase.

Huanyu forecasts that price quotes for its battery packs will go up by 20 percent to 30 percent in 2007. But the company reiterated that it will maximize its production to save on costs.

With the increasing costs of nickel powder and the rising popularity of Li-polymer batteries, Intellect Brothers (Shenzhen) Ltd is enhancing the development of Li-polymer batteries and battery packs used in mobile phones. It has been reducing the output of NiMH batteries and battery packs since the cost of nickel powder continues to rise. The company mostly concentrates on Li-polymer battery development and manufacture.

Minwa of Hong Kong said that nickel costs have risen significantly that it has no choice but to increase its NiMH battery prices. The company initially tried to absorb the cost increases in January to February this year when nickel prices were about $35,000 per ton. Just a month later, prices were about $50,000 per ton.

At this point, Hong Kong makers find it difficult to determine the future price direction for nickel given the fluctuating cost levels of the metal in the last few quarters. Everfast said that the cost increase of nickel in Q1 2007 led to a 5 percent to 10 percent price increase in its NiMH battery prices.

Among battery chargers, prices vary based on the charger types. Constant-current chargers are sold for $1.50 to $3.50 per unit. Fast-speed chargers are priced at about $15 for 30min units, and $12 for 2hr units.

Fine Dragon's model D-C1206, a constant-current charger for one or two AA, AAA, NiMH and NiCd batteries, is $3.

Most mainland China makers of batteries and chargers have large-scale manufacturing and export capabilities. However, due to the rising costs of raw materials, many said that the production output of NiMH batteries will remain stable.

Huanyu has several factories in Henan province and in Shenzhen, Guangdong province. Its factories cover a total area of 300,000sqm, and employ a total workforce of 10,000. The company conducts all production processes in-house to oversee QC. Its NiMH batteries workshop has more than 10 assembly lines equipped with imported equipment, and more than 10 plate cutters. The company claims that it has the largest production capacity of sintered plates for NiMH and NiCd cylindrical batteries in mainland China. It has a total of 17 assembly lines for batteries.

Huanyu aims to maintain its current production volume in 2007. Forty percent of its battery output is used in battery pack production. Its monthly lithium battery packs and NiMH battery packs output reaches 5 million units and 6 million units, respectively. All of its key raw materials are sourced from the United States, Canada and Russia.

Sixty percent of Huanyu's total output is delivered to Europe, the United States, Southeast Asia and East Asia. The company has registered subsidiaries in the United States, Europe and Africa to facilitate export agreements and provide service to its overseas customers. It also offers OEM and ODM services to main customers, including Kyocera in Japan and Saft in France.

Yuntong has two ISO 9001:2000-certified 20,000sqm factories and 1,400 employees. The company exports 80 percent of its NiMH rechargeable batteries/packs and battery chargers, mainly to the United States, Europe, Australia, Asia, South America and South Africa.

Founded in 1998 as a subsidiary of Shenzhen Unite-Fortune Development Co. Ltd, Fine Dragon specializes in R&D, production and sales of NiMH, Li-ion and Li-polymer batteries and chargers. Its products have CE, UL, FCC and SASO approvals, and most comply with the RoHS directive. The company has 500 employees, including 400 skilled production workers, 15 QC employees and 10 R&D engineers.

Fine Dragon maintains two factories, which have a combined area of 10,000sqm. The factories are equipped with eight production lines, an Asada mix slurry machine, a Hirano coating machine, an American IMC rolling machine, a Nishimura cutting machine, and a Minato winding machine. These also house an assembly machine, a Canon injection machine and a sealing machine from Canada. The monthly production capacity is 350,000 rechargeable NiMH batteries/ packs and 200,000 NiMH battery chargers. Eighty percent of Fine Dragon's battery chargers are exported to Europe, the United States and Australia.

Some suppliers in Hong Kong market part of their production under their own brands, but the majority continue to derive revenue from their OEM and ODM business.

Everfast has its own brand of chargers, but 80 percent to 90 percent of the company's business is still buyer label business. Its factories are equipped with industrial chargers that can support about 100,000 NiMH batteries at one time. The company has the capacity to produce about 200,000 ready-to-use batteries and 400,000 classic NiMH batteries daily. Overnight chargers account for the largest volume in Everfast's charger production.

Everfast's NiMH battery packages usually include up to four AA and AAA batteries plus customers' choice of charger. The company can also throw in some promotional accessories such as portable battery cases, battery converters or battery testers. The company's basic ready-to-use battery package includes one charger and two batteries.

All of Minwa's production go to its OEM/ODM projects, and are shipped worldwide. Its charger packages include the basic color box pack with no batteries included, and its blister packs, which bundle any choice of portable charger with four AA batteries.