Eneloop production facility

Mikl1984 · Mar 16, 2011

Due recent earthquake I try to find info about production place
I realized that current structure of SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. haven't consumer NiMH production facilities

More than one year we had Eneloops produced by FDK Corporation (part of Fujitsu)
http://sanyo.com/news/2009/10/28-1.pdf
It was one of conditions of Panasonic-Sanyo deal

Transfer of NiMH and Other Battery Businesses
In January 2010, SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. sold some of its battery businesses, including that relating to nickel-metal hydride batteries other than those for use in automobiles and that relating to cylindrical lithium primary batteries, to FDK Corporation. These transfer transactions were undertaken as a necessary step to meet the requirements set under the competition-laws of different countries so as to enable implementation of the tender offer for SANYO stock by Panasonic Corporation. As a result, a loss of approximately 10 billion yen was posted for fiscal 2010.

http://sanyo.com/ir/en/library/pdf/annualreports/ar-2010-e-7.pdf

Takasaki isn't so far from epicenter

angelofwar · Mar 16, 2011

No Eneloops would definitely be bad for CPF...I'm sure they have a contingency plan, although we might see availability drop for awhile (on all Japanese products for that matter). I would sale my entire collection off if I had to live with energizer R/C's...:sick2:

Mikl1984 · Mar 16, 2011

http://www.fdk.com/whatsnew-e/release110314-e.html
Good news

FDK confirmed that there are no significant damages in production facilities including casualties that could cause material adverse impact on FDK's operations at this moment.

and bad one

However, there are no prospects of the recovery of infrastructure (water, gas, electricity and transportation) in the affected areas.

Mr Happy · Mar 16, 2011

Maybe this transfer to FDK is why the design of recent Eneloops has changed? (E.g. they don't have the trademark squareish button any more.)

mellowman · Mar 16, 2011

so probably no eneloop xx for sale in the US this year? :mecry:

Eismagier · Mar 16, 2011

There's a previous thread on the sale here on CPF.

While handing over the manufacturing of its signature eneloop products to FDK, Sanyo will continue to handle product planning and distribution by purchasing them from the Japanese electronic parts maker.

I don't see the big deal. The electronics industry commonly outsources production to third party manufacturers, and most people don't think any less of the products just because they're actually made by Foxconn or TSMC.

45/70 · Mar 16, 2011

mellowman said:
so probably no eneloop xx for sale in the US this year? :mecry:

Rumor has it that the demand for the XX cells would be so low in the U.S. that they probably weren't ever intending to sell them here anyway. eneloops themselves really haven't taken the U.S. market by storm anyway, and a more expensive version is likely to have even lower sales figures. I hate to say it, as I'm a U.S. citizen, but many here really only like cheap crap. Look at the success of Wal-Mart for example. It was, and maybe still is, the largest retailer in the U.S. :ohgeez:

Dave

mellowman · Mar 16, 2011

How much more expensive are the XX versions in the EU? Given the population size and hence market potential is about the same in the US as the whole EU block, it's gotta be worth something. Heck, they sell them now in Canada. Your arguments would apply to regular eneloops too, however you can find them at costco. I think the issue is more of supply. The fact Sanyo came out with not just XX but "lites" just means they know the market and are just trying to maximize revenue with higher and lower cost products.

beerwax · Mar 16, 2011

hi guys.
does the sale timing coincide at all with new eneloop 1500, eneloop lite and xx.

cheers

45/70 · Mar 17, 2011

mellowman said:
How much more expensive are the XX versions in the EU?

I think they're around $20 US a 4 pack, including shipping, I could be wrong about that, but that's pretty close I think.

Your arguments would apply to regular eneloops too......

They're not my arguments really, just what I've heard and it seems to make sense. I remember the regular eneloops supposedly being sold at several retail stores, although I could never find them and had to order online (no Costco's here locally). Most of these stores are known to no longer stock them now.

Personally, I'd be happy to see the XX cells sold here in the US. I don't know that I'd prefer the XX to regular eneloops in all applications, but I'd certainly like to have some for my more power hungry devices such as my DSLR.

Dave

angelofwar · Mar 17, 2011

Funny...cause I got my first Eneloops at Wally World on the clearance rack...like they carried them for a bit, and they didn't do so hot. The ignorant masses...they'll drop $100 on alkies throughout the year, and have them leak all over the place, but they won't buy a reliable pack of R/C AA's for $20...so I got 4 eneloops and a charger for $8!

mellowman · Mar 17, 2011

45/70 said:
I think they're around $20 US a 4 pack, including shipping, I could be wrong about that, but that's pretty close I think.

I meant how much more relative to regular eneloops. I have no idea how much the regular ones cost in the EU.

angelofwar said:
Funny...cause I got my first Eneloops at Wally World on the clearance rack...like they carried them for a bit, and they didn't do so hot. The ignorant masses...they'll drop $100 on alkies throughout the year, and have them leak all over the place, but they won't buy a reliable pack of R/C AA's for $20...so I got 4 eneloops and a charger for $8!

Imagine if they had a simple sign that did the math on how much one could save with the eneloops. But then again, it may not be the money "saved" that motivates them to buy alkies but the easy of throwing them away and buying new ones vs the effort of recharging a battery.

Techjunkie · Mar 17, 2011

Sort of off topic, I was surprised to see Eneloop branded Wii remote packs with inductive charger in TJMax a week or two ago. I didn't even know these existed and there they were, discounted. $17 for a set with two controller packs and inductive charging base to charge two Wiimotes at a time. The packs are sealed though, no taking out the Eneloop cells.

Dry-cell · Mar 17, 2011

Take a look here Techjunkie http://us.sanyo.com/Wii-Remote-Charging-System

Anyway, I'm not one to watch the news, but I read on Wikipedia that... "By April 2012, parent company Panasonic plans to terminate the Sanyo brand, however it will be remain on some of the products where the Sanyo brand still hold value to consumers."

LEDAdd1ct · Mar 17, 2011

Eww, I don't like that idea at all! I like my *Sanyo* Eneloops.

Eismagier · Mar 17, 2011

Honestly, as long as the quality is right, does it really matter whose name is on the wrapper?

Dry-cell · Mar 17, 2011

Eismagier, Panasonic Eneloops doesn't have that same ring to it.

Aren't you guys worried about recieving things from Japan now, with the radiation levels and such?. The earthquake must have done some damage to their equipment\computers. I've felt much lighter earthquakes and they're pretty intense.

Techjunkie · Mar 17, 2011

Dry-cell said:
Take a look here Techjunkie http://us.sanyo.com/Wii-Remote-Charging-System

Anyway, I'm not one to watch the news, but I read on Wikipedia that... "By April 2012, parent company Panasonic plans to terminate the Sanyo brand, however it will be remain on some of the products where the Sanyo brand still hold value to consumers."

Yep, those are the ones I saw. The induction charging seemed gimicky to me until I realized that these allow charging with the silicone skin still on. That's a big plus. We don't even bother with the skins anymore. My kids have four remotes and four identical li-poly packs and charging cradles. (They're a let down though - at least one of the batteries doesn't hold a charge anymore and one more might be on the way out). I almost bought two Eneloop sets, but demand for Wii is not so great in my house anymore. $34 + tax might have gone to waste on an upgrade they wouldn't even notice. All I brought home that night was an ergonomic Swiss ice cream scoop for $6 and an auto vent dock for my wife's iPhone for $12.

Nice to see the Eneloop badge on a mainstream product though. I remember asking for Eneloops in major appliance & electronics stores and being met with blank stares or looks that say "what does it matter what brand they are"?

VidPro · Mar 18, 2011

Dry-cell said:
Aren't you guys worried about recieving things from Japan now, with the radiation levels and such?. .

Mabey i can finnaly get that nuclear battery i have been wanting

and help them recover too.

BoarHunter · Mar 18, 2011

Dry-cell said:
Eismagier, Panasonic Eneloops doesn't have that same ring to it.

Aren't you guys worried about recieving things from Japan now, with the radiation levels and such?. The earthquake must have done some damage to their equipment\computers. I've felt much lighter earthquakes and they're pretty intense.

I am much more concerned about radioactive bananas and brasilian nuts which are even worse ! Oh, wait this is natural radioactivity

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_equivalent_dose

If you are scared, don't hide in your cellar, chance are that you will be exposed to radon radiation, far worse that living close to a nuclear plant.

Eneloop production facility

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