Exide Technologies Lands Contract For Kmart Australia

    PRINCETON, N.J., Feb. 7 Exide Technologies has
become the exclusive battery supplier for Australia's largest mass-merchant
retailer -- Kmart.
    Exide-brand batteries will be in all of Kmart's 330 retail outlets in
Australia, including some 180 Kmart Tire & Auto centers, effective March 1.
    "This is a positive development for Kmart customers and for Exide
Technologies," said Tom Minner, President - Transportation Global Business
Unit at Exide.  "While competition in Australia has been severe the past few
years, Kmart has had great success with Exide products and is expanding its
selection for the customer."
    Previously, Exide had approximately 80 percent of the Kmart-Australia
business.
    "We were able to provide a program to meet Kmart's needs," added Minner.
    Exide Technologies is the global leader in providing electrical energy
storage solutions.  The company has annualized revenues of approximately
$3 billion and has operations in 89 countries, serving the industrial and
transportation markets.
    Industrial applications include network-power batteries for
telecommunications systems, fuel cell load leveling, electric utilities,
railroads, photovoltaic (solar-power storage) and other uninterruptible power
supply (UPS) markets; and motive-power batteries for a broad range of
equipment uses, including lift trucks, mining and commercial vehicles.
Transportation uses include automotive, heavy-duty truck, agricultural, marine
and other batteries, as well as new technologies being developed for hybrid
vehicles and new 42-volt automotive applications.  The company supplies both
the aftermarket and original equipment transportation customers.
    Further information about Exide Technologies, its financial results and
other information, can be found at http://www.exideworld.com.