Interview with Serge Traylor, Brand Manager, Hearing Aid Battery Division Energizer
Share:
Topic: Energizer Zero Mercury Hearing Aid Batteries
Carolyn Smaka: Hello, this is Carolyn Smaka with AudiologyOnline and I'm speaking today with Serge Traylor from Energizer. Serge, welcome to AudiolgyOnline.Serge Traylor: Thank you very much.
Smaka: Thanks for taking the time to speak with me today. Before we get started, can you tell me about your background and what you do for Energizer?
Traylor: You bet. My current position here at Energizer is the Brand Manager for the Hearing Aid Battery Division. So that entails managing all of the marketing for hearing aid batteries that are sold through the audiology chain and also through retail stores. I've been at Energizer for about six years now, and have held several different positions here in the Marketing Department.
Smaka: Where is Energizer located?
Traylor: We're headquartered in St. Louis, MO.
Smaka: We're talking today about mercury free hearing aid batteries. So, does that mean that zinc air batteries today actually contain mercury?
Traylor: Yes, there is a very small percentage - about 3% - of mercury in zinc air batteries. There has been some legislation out there to remove mercury from hearing aid batteries. So the battery industry came together and decided that by 2011, as an industry, there will no longer be mercury in hearing aid batteries. Now, in 2008, Energizer is launching the first full line of hearing aid batteries that are mercury free.
Smaka: Wow, three years ahead of the agreed upon date. Can you tell us about the efforts that Energizer undertook to make that happen?
Traylor: Actually, it has taken a lot of research and development to make that happen. We have been perfecting the zero mercury hearing aid battery for the last decade. In 2001, we launched zero mercury hearing aid batteries in the European market and since then, we have continued to refine and improve the quality of that battery and we now have a battery that we are ready to launch globally. Energizer will be the first complete global line of zero mercury hearing aid batteries.
Smaka: What is the purpose of the mercury in hearing aid batteries and why was it so difficult to take it out?
Traylor: Mercury is a stabilizing element in hearing aid batteries. If Mercury is simply removed and no other changes are made, the service and leakage performance of the batteries is erratic. Instead, it is necessary to evaluate all of the raw materials used in the batteries to reduce contaminants and to incorporate some entirely new processes and materials to take the place of what the Mercury was doing in the cell. The battery design and manufacturing process must be robust enough to provide a consistent performance in every single battery, battery to battery, and package to package. And we've definitely achieved that.
Smaka: So the zero mercury batteries achieve, essentially the same performance as those with mercury?
Traylor: Yes, any difference that will be seen is going to be negligible to the consumer. And that's one thing we've been working hard to maintain over the years during the development of this battery - the same performance that people have come to expect from Energizer, with a zero mercury battery.
Smaka: Will the zero mercury batteries be available in all hearing aid battery sizes?
Traylor: Yes, we're going to launch it across all of our different battery sizes. So, whether you have a 10, a 13, a 312 or a 675, we will offer zero mercury batteries only. We will no longer carry hearing aid batteries containing mercury. That also goes across all of our different package styles. Energizer has differentiated ourselves throughout the years through our different packaging options. So, independent of which package option you prefer, you will have zero mercury hearing aid batteries. Basically, starting this fall, every hearing aid battery we offer will be zero mercury.
Smaka: What an undertaking! Can you talk about the different package styles and why you offer that choice?
Traylor: Of course. For audiologists and hearing instrument specialists, we offer three different package styles. We have an Energizer EZ Change® dispenser, and that is a dispensing unit that allows the consumer to put a hearing aid battery into his or her hearing aid without ever having to touch the battery itself. This package was designed for people with dexterity issues. We also have the FreshPak™ that we offer under the audioPRO® line. And the fresh pack is very similar to the packages that are common with over-the-counter medicine now. With a FreshPak, you have a foil package and each battery is sealed inside one of these little foil pouches. It keeps the batteries fresh and also keeps them nice and secure. They come in pouches of four batteries each. The third package that we have for the professional channel is our spin pack. The spin pack is the package that most people are familiar with. This is the pack that most of our competitors also have out there and have been utilizing since the mid - 80's.
Smaka: I saw a great video demonstration of the EZ Change package on your website: www.energizer.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/video/ez_change/how_ez_change_works.mov
Traylor: Once we show people how to utilize the EZ Change dispenser, it's a no-brainer for so many people because they didn't realize how easy it can be to change your hearing aid battery. We also offer EZ Change demonstration kits. They are a larger than life dispenser of the EZ Change, along with a hearing aid that we can provide to professionals so they can show people how easy it is to put in a hearing aid battery with the EZ Change dispenser.
Smaka: Serge, can you talk about disposal of hearing aid batteries versus recycling? And will the zero mercury hearing aid batteries be any different in this regard?
Traylor: Great question and something we hear quite a bit at Energizer. Zinc air batteries can and should be disposed of in your normal trash and not accumulated.
Smaka: And I would assume that since all hearing aid batteries belong in the trash, those with zero mercury have got to be better for the environment than those with mercury.
Traylor: Yes, that little bit of mercury that was in all of the batteries to date and in the other hearing aid batteries that are out there on the market, if you combine all that, you will not have that gross total of mercury out there. So, it's one step where Energizer is just trying to do the right thing for our consumers, and our planet.
Smaka: How do people go about offering or obtaining Energizer zero mercury hearing aid batteries - both professionals and consumers?
Traylor: For professionals, the best place to go to learn how to offer Energizer batteries is at our website, www.energizer.com. There is a section dedicated to hearing aid batteries with detailed information about our products, and phone numbers for professionals to get set up to be a distributor of Energizer hearing aid batteries and our new zero mercury hearing aid batteries.
Consumers should ask their Hearing Care Professional about which batteries they currently carry and ask for Energizer. We are also at most of the major drug and grocery stores.
Smaka: There's a lot of great information on your website for consumers, too. I thought the FAQ section was really comprehensive and I learned a few things myself.
Traylor: Good. Yes, we just updated our website here this past year and put a lot of time and effort into making sure everything was up-to-date and very helpful for consumers.
Smaka: Last question, when will zero mercury hearing aid batteries be available?
Traylor: Energizer is producing zero mercury hearing aid batteries currently. We plan to be 100% converted by September of this year. Consumers should be able to find them on the shelf of their favorite store soon after that.
Smaka: This is an exciting innovation for our industry. We'll follow up with you later this year to see how things are going with the zero mercury hearing aid batteries. Thanks again for talking with me today.
Traylor: Thank you very much for your time.
For more information about Energizer, visit www.energizer.com, or Energizer's web channel on AudiologyOnline at www.audiologyonline.com/channels/energizer.asp
About Energizer
Energizer Holdings, Inc. [NYSE: ENR], www.energizer.com, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, is one of the world's largest manufacturers of primary batteries, battery-powered devices and flashlights. Energizer, a global leader in the dynamic business of providing portable power geared toward the new digital age, offers a full portfolio of products including, the Energizer® MAX® premium alkaline brand;Energizer® Ultimate Lithium and Energizer® e2® Titanium Technology® performance brands;Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) Rechargeable batteries and chargers;and miniatures brand batteries.
The Energizer product line also includes specialty batteries for hearing aids and medical devices, as well as for keyless remote entry systems, toys and other uses. Through its flashlight unit, Energizer brings innovation to this important household device. Energizer continues its role as a technology leader as it launches Energizer® Energi To Go®, portable battery-driven power packs for cell phones.
