Duracell facts for kids
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| Subsidiary | |
| Founded | 1924 (as P.R. Mallory Company) |
| Founders | Samuel Ruben Philip Mallory |
| Headquarters | Chicago, Illinois, U.S., Bethel, Connecticut |
| Products | Batteries |
| Revenue | US$2 billion (2015) |
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Number of employees
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2,700 |
| Parent | Berkshire Hathaway |
| Subsidiaries | Duracell (UK) Limited Duracell China Limited Duracell Batteries BV Duracell Batteries Limited |
Duracell Inc. is an American company that makes batteries. They are famous for their alkaline batteries, special small batteries, and rechargeable batteries. Duracell is owned by a large company called Berkshire Hathaway.
The company started in the 1920s. It began with the ideas of a scientist named Samuel Ruben and a businessman named Philip Mallory. They first formed a company called P. R. Mallory Company. Over the years, Duracell became part of different big companies, like Procter & Gamble (P&G). In 2014, P&G agreed to sell Duracell to Berkshire Hathaway. This deal was finished in 2016.
Contents
The Story of Duracell
How Duracell Started
Duracell began because of a partnership. A scientist named Samuel Ruben and a businessman named Philip Rogers Mallory met in the 1920s. Their company, P. R. Mallory Company, moved its main office to Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1924.
They made special mercury batteries for military equipment. These batteries were much better than the older ones used at the time. In the 1950s, Kodak made cameras with a new type of flash. This needed a new battery size, which led to the creation of the AAA battery.
The name "Duracell" was first used as a brand in 1964. It comes from "durable cell," meaning a long-lasting battery. Before 1980, the batteries also had the "Mallory" name on them.
Growing and Changing
Over the years, Duracell changed owners many times. In 1978, P. R. Mallory was bought by Dart Industries. Then, in 1980, Dart Industries joined with Kraft Foods.
Later, in 1988, a company called Kohlberg Kravis Roberts bought Duracell. They made Duracell a public company in 1989. In 1996, The Gillette Company bought Duracell for $7 billion.
In 2005, Procter & Gamble bought Gillette, which meant they also owned Duracell.
In 2011, Duracell and Powermat Technologies started a joint company. They called it Duracell Powermat. This company made small wireless chargers for mobile phones and other small electronics.
In 2012, Duracell helped create the Power Matters Alliance (PMA). This group works to make wireless charging better and safer for the environment. Big companies like AT&T and Starbucks joined this group.
In 2013, Duracell released a new line of batteries called "Duracell Quantum." These were their best-performing alkaline batteries.
Becoming Part of Berkshire Hathaway
On October 24, 2014, Procter & Gamble announced they would separate Duracell from their company. This was part of a bigger plan to change their business.
On November 14, 2014, Berkshire Hathaway said they wanted to buy Duracell. The deal was approved in July 2015. The sale was completed on February 29, 2016.
In September 2016, Duracell announced that its main team and 60 employees would move to Chicago.
In February 2022, Duracell started a partnership with Williams Racing. This is a famous car racing team. The racing car's air intake was even designed to look like a Duracell battery! This design was used in the 2022 Miami Grand Prix and for the 2023 season. Duracell also became the main sponsor for Williams Racing's eNASCAR team, which is a video game racing team.
What Duracell Makes
Duracell makes alkaline batteries in many common sizes. These include AAA, AA, C, D, and 9V.
They also make less common sizes like AAAA. These are used for things like pagers and penlights. Duracell also makes tiny "button cells." These are used in calculators, watches, hearing aids, and other small devices.
In 2008, Duracell worked with a company called Dane-Elec. They made memory cards, hard drives, and USB flash drives. These products had the Duracell brand and its famous copper-top color.
Duracell also makes special batteries. This includes NiMH rechargeable batteries. They also make batteries for cameras, watches, and hearing aids.
Their two main battery types are "CopperTop (Plus)" and "Ultra." CopperTop batteries are advertised to last longer. Ultra batteries are for digital devices and things that need more power. Duracell also makes some lithium batteries and car batteries.
Duracell makes batteries in different shapes, like prismatic (blocky) and cylindrical (round). In 2006, they introduced "Power Pix" batteries. These used NiOx technology. They were designed to power digital cameras for up to twice as long.
Duracell also sells batteries for professional use. These are sold under the brand name "Procell." There are two main Procell lines: "Procell Alkaline" and "Procell Intense Power." "Procell Alkaline" batteries are for things that use little power, like clocks. "Procell Intense Power" batteries are for devices that need a lot of power.
In the 1980s, Duracell briefly sold a line of flashlights. They were called Durabeam. These flashlights were said to be much stronger and brighter than others.
See also
In Spanish: Duracell para niños
- Duracell Bunny
- The Puttermans
