For 2020, approximately €2.0 billion (1,957 MEUR) worth of lead acid battery exports are traded with non-EU countries. The top external markets (by value, based on size of the square) are the United Kingdom, United States, Russia, Switzerland, China, and South Africa as shown in Figure 3-2.
Battery manufacturing, recycling, and mining companies employ workers and generate business income. These represent direct effects and are referred to as the “European lead battery industry.” Battery manufacturing, recycling, and mining companies purchase goods and services from other companies. These represent indirect effects.
It is estimated that a total of €1.4 Billion Euros (1,406.1 MEUR) worth of lead acid batteries were imported into the EU in 2020, with over 61 percent of them being for non-piston engines. 8 Note that UN COMTRADE data presents the nominal value of trade in US Dollars.
Wholesale and retail businesses that sell lead batteries for vehicles are the biggest users, followed by construction and transportation services.
The effects of European lead batteries do not stop with the manufacturing supply chain. Downstream users of lead batteries consume them as industrial inputs to production and operation, while households use them to power their vehicles and a host of other applications.
Lead battery companies innovate through ongoing research and development. Industry-wide, companies report spending nearly 40 million EUR on R&D annually. This spending contributes to the industry’s future growth and productivity. The industry uses high levels of recycled content. According to survey respondents, over