Within the new business unit, C&D Technologies will set up a development laboratory and a local engineering team to leverage its development of advanced batteries for the telecommunications and uninterrupted power supply (UPS) systems in North America, transitioning these designs and associated manufacturing technologies into the Asian marketplace and manufacturing them locally to offer cost-effective, high technology solutions for the Asian and European customers. These new designs will incorporate the msEndur II 2-volt VRLA green battery system, and the new C&D True Front Access VRLA battery system, adapted to the local requirements of the Asian marketplace.
Lauener joins C&D Technologies following an exceptional career with MGE, a subsidiary of Schneider Group, which, following its acquisition of APC Inc.
Ms. Lauener has an outstanding track record of success as an Asian business leader, joining C&D Technologies following over 23 years of increasing leadership responsibilities with MGE, a subsidiary of Schneider Group of France. During her career with MGE, Ms. Lauener led the establishment and growth of its Asian business from its fledgling start to over $300M in revenue prior to the APC acquisition by Schneider. Her experience with our customer base, combined with her entrepreneurial spirit and demonstrated business leadership experience in Asia, equip her well to lead our newly formed Asian business unit. Moving forward Ms. Lauener will focus on new product introduction and expansion of our Asian Sales Team to drive exciting growth in the months and years ahead, stated Jeffrey Graves, president and chief executive officer of C&D Technologies.
Graves added, Asia, including China, India, Korea, Indonesia and other developing nations, has the highest infrastructure growth rates of any region in the world and therefore represents a tremendous market for our products. With our investment over the last two years in a new state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Shanghai, we are now well positioned to capitalize on this market growth through a combination of global technology adapted for local markets and a strong Asian leadership team.
