Spectrum Brands Inc

(OTC: SPEB)

Industry: n/a
On the web: http://www.spectrumbrands.com
Employees: 7,100

Spectrum Brands, Inc. and its subsidiaries is a global branded consumer products Company with market positions in seven major product categories: consumer batteries; lawn and garden; pet supplies; electric shaving and grooming; household insect control; electric personal care products; and portable lighting. The Company is a worldwide manufacturer and marketer of alkaline, zinc carbon and hearing aid batteries, as well as aquariums and aquatic health supplies and a worldwide designer and marketer of rechargeable batteries, battery-powered lighting products, electric shavers and accessories, grooming products and hair care appliances. Spectrum Brands is also a North American manufacturer and a marketer of lawn fertilizers, herbicides, pet supplies and specialty food products, and insecticides and repellents. It sells its products in approximately 120 countries through a variety of trade channels, including retailers, wholesalers and distributors, hearing aid professionals, industrial distributors and original equipment manufacturers. The Company enjoy strong name recognition in its markets under the Rayovac, VARTA and Remington brands, each of which has been in existence for more than 80 years, and under the Spectracide, Cutter, Tetra, 8-in-1 and various other brands. It has manufacturing and product development facilities located in the United States, Europe, China and Latin America. The Company manufactures alkaline and zinc carbon batteries, zinc air hearing aid batteries, lawn fertilizers, herbicides, pet supplies and specialty food products and insecticides and repellents in its Company operated manufacturing facilities. All of its rechargeable batteries and chargers, electric shaving and grooming products, electric personal care products and portable lighting products are manufactured by third party suppliers, primarily located in Asia. During 2005, the Company managed operations in five reportable business segments, including three based primarily upon geographic area, a fourth based on its acquisition of United and a fifth based on the Company's acquisition of Tetra. North America includes the legacy business in the United States and Canada; Latin America includes the legacy business in Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean; Europe/ROW includes the legacy business in the United Kingdom, continental Europe, China, Australia and all other countries in which the Company conducts business. The United business segment includes the acquired lawn and garden, household insect control and United Pet Group business in the United States and Canada. The Tetra business segment includes the acquired global Tetra business, primarily in Europe, North America and Japan. The Company's line of products includes: rechargeable batteries and chargers; hearing aid batteries; other specialty batteries; fertilizer, herbicides and other lawn and garden products; pet supplies, including aquatic equipment and supplies, health and grooming products, treats and small animal foods and other; electric shaving and grooming products; household insect control; electric personal care products; and portable lighting products. It offers a line of battery-powered lighting products, including flashlights, lanterns and similar portable devices, for the retail and industrial markets. The principal raw materials used to produce the Company's products-including granular urea, zinc powder, electrolytic manganese dioxide powder and steel-are sourced on a global or regional basis, and the prices of those raw materials are susceptible to price fluctuations due to supply/demand trends, energy costs, transportation costs, government regulations and tariffs, changes in currency exchange rates, price controls, the economic climate and other unforeseen circumstances.