Battery World powers forward

Battery retail franchise Battery World Australia has shrugged off a tough retail environment to record double digit growth in the final quarter of the 2008-09 financial year.

Battery World, which has more than 70 retail franchise stores nationwide, has also defied the tough economic conditions by expanding its operations and opening eight new stores in Sydney, Melbourne and South-East Queensland during challenging times.

James Nixon-Smith, General Manager with the retail battery franchise, said the company had performed strongly and was well placed to meet the high consumer demand for batteries.

Mr Nixon-Smith said Battery World finished off the financial year with a record breaking June and revenue was expected to exceed $60 million in the 2009-10 financial year.

“While many franchise groups have been experiencing flat growth, Battery World has performed robustly. The start to this financial year has seen our group continue with record months in July and August,” he said.

“We expect to continue to achieve good results due to on-going consumer demand for our products, which are not heavily impacted by market conditions.”

Mr Nixon-Smith said Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane retail franchises had been the major source of the Queensland-based firm’s growth.
“Sydney and Melbourne, in particular, have experienced strong growth,” he said.

“In Sydney we have had 25 per cent growth for the past 12 months and we expect that market to enjoy further growth with new stores opening.”
Mr Nixon-Smith said the battery franchise company planned to open at least eight new stores in the 2009-10 financial year and all of these will be in “prime, high street” locations.

“The market for us has shifted from industrial focus to a more mainstream retail market as everybody needs batteries,” he said.
“We offer a unique franchise concept and unlike other franchise networks we are in a growth industry with little competition.

“Batteries are an essential part of everyday life and as technology continues to advance so will our reliance on portable power devices.”