General Dry Batteries Pty. Ltd., Leicester Street, Carlton. (A division of Electronics Industries Limited)

Manufacturer of dry cells (batteries).

  "General Dry Batteries Pty. Ltd. had its origins in a request made to Electronics Industries during the war by the Australian Defence Authorities that the group should explore the possibility of making in Australia a battery that would stand up to the worst rigours of the climate of New Guinea and the Pacific Islands.
  As an essential preliminary, negotiations were carried on with Shawinigan Chemicals of Montreal, Canada, for a licence to manufacture acetylene black in Australia. Australia, as a result, became the only country in the world, outside of Canada, with knowledge of the processs for the manufacture of this product.
  Electronics Industries centred its acetylene black activities at Electrona on the Derwent River, about fifteen miles from Hobart, close to Commonwealth Carbyde Limited. This was desirable because of the use of large quantities of acetylene, available from Commonwealth Carbyde Limited, in the processes.
  The commercial uses of acetylene black are varied and the output of the Electrona Plant has been stepped up to a stage at which it is able to meet all Australian requirements and to carry on a substantial export trade.
  It was 1947 before the necessary machinery for the production of batteries became available. This was installed at Leicester Street, Carlton, and production was under way in six months.  The Company's products embody many features new to Australia and offer many technical advantages affecting the life of a battery.
  They have been very popular on the Australian market and are now being sold from Perth to Cairns."