GS Yuasa

Yuasa

In 1909, Shichizaemon Yuasa established Yuasa Iron Works to modernize the family business, founded in 1666 as a charcoal trading business. Yuasa Iron Works began producing storage batteries in 1915, and three years later Yuasa Storage Battery Co., Ltd was established. Soon after, Yuasa Storage Battery Co., Ltd began making Japan's first automotive batteries. In 1925, Yuasa began making dry cells, and in 1941 they began making alkaline cells. The dry battery business was later spun off into Yuasa Dry Battery Co., Ltd, which later merged back into Yuasa Storage Battery Co., Ltd to form Yuasa Battery Co, Ltd, later renamed to Yuasa Corporation.

GS

In 1904, Genzo Shimadzu Jr. (島津 源蔵, Shimazu Genzō; b. 1869 d. 1951) developed a high-capacity lead-acid battery to supply backup power to his factory during outages of Kyoto's then unreliable power grid. The Japanese navy purchased 400 units of this battery. Shimadzu established Japan Storage Battery Co., Ltd in 1917 and began producing automotive batteries in 1919. In 1938 they began producing alkaline batteries and in 1940 they began making high-pressure mercury lamps.

GS was established in 1917 and is an abbreviation comprising the initials of Genzou Shimadzu Jr. who founded Japan Storage Battery in 1917. He was also the second president of Shimadzu Corporation founded in 1875 by his father, Genzo Shimadzu Sr. (島津 源蔵, Shimazu Genzō; b. 1839 d. 1894).

GS Yuasa

In 2004, Yuasa Corporation merged with Japan Storage Battery to form GS Yuasa Corporation.

As of 2014, GS Yuasa had 9 plants for manufacturing industrial lead-acid and NiCd batteries and 5 plants for Li-Ion cells. GS Yuasa also sells other products including power supplies, lamps and motorcycle batteries. Now the top power sports battery producer, Yuasa provides nearly 90% of the batteries used in power sport vehicles in North America.

Yuasa Battery Inc

Yuasa Battery, Inc (U.S.A.) was established in 1965. In 1979, Yuasa began producing motorcycle batteries in a joint venture established with General Battery Corporation in Laureldale, PA a few years earlier. Today, Yuasa Battery Inc supplies batteries for motorcycles, scooters, personal watercraft, all-terrain vehicles (ATV), and side by sides (UTV).

Yuasa-Exide Inc

In 1987 Fruit of the Loom sold its General Battery Corporation to Exide Corporation. In 1991, Yuasa Battery Co. Ltd (Japan) bought Exide's industrial battery division, forming Yuasa-Exide Inc, later renamed to Yuasa Inc. In 2000, a management buyout of Yuasa Inc's industrial battery business formed Enersys.

Today, Enersys sells a wide variety of batteries.

Europe

In 1981, Yuasa established a company in the UK to manufacture VRLA batteries and another for sales and distribution. They later established companies in Germany, France, and Italy for sales and distribution. In 1988, Yuasa Corporation acquired a 50% share in Lucas Batteries Ltd, forming Lucas-Yuasa Batteries Ltd. Yuasa purchased the remaining 50% of Lucas Batteries in 1997, creating Yuasa Automotive Batteries Europe Ltd, which marketed automotive batteries under the Lucas brand and other names until 2006, when Yuasa began marketing automotive batteries in Europe under its own name. In 2002, Yuasa Battery Europe Ltd was formed as the parent company for Yuasa's various European sales companies.