The investment programme of Saft just completed is a new $9 million production line at its US manufacturing facility in Valdosta (Georgia, United States).Dedicated Production Line has a Capacity of Over 16 000 48 V Tel.X Batteries Per Year.

Saft, leader in the design, development and manufacture of high-end batteries for industry, has completed its investment in its new Tel.X nickel based product range designed specifically for telecom networks applications.

The Tel.X battery range is designed to deliver reliable backup power for the growing number of decentralized facilities, supporting fixed, wireless, cable and cellular networks, which are in remote or demanding outdoor locations.

The new Production line will enable Saft to expand its customer base in a market where performance, reliability and low TCO (total cost of ownership) are crucial. Its focus is on providing a high quality, maintenance-free battery solution for applications subjected to extreme temperature as well as high levels of humidity. With an extended range of capacities, smaller batteries and long service life, the Tel.X batteries are ideally suited for the majority of telecom network applications.

Xavier Delacroix, the General Manager of Saft's IBG division says, "We believe that despite the short-term issues we reported in November in the telecom market, the Tel.X product range will lead to increased sales and market share for Saft. We currently have approximately 2% market share in the telecom network market with our nickel-based batteries. The potential is therefore considerable. Our new production line is a major commitment to this market with very significant growth potential and we are ready to expand it further as demand develops.

Date:  Dec 22,2008