How It All Started

The roots of the company date back to the very beginning of battery production in the Czech lands, in 1919. At that time, the factory in Slaný first opened its doors to 50 employees. The founder was industrialist J. J. Pála, who also gave his name to his public trading company – Pála and Co. Electric Cells and Batteries Factory in Slaný. Pála followed his personal motto: Quality must be global, and the price Czech. And it paid off for him.

Within a year and a half, production increased so much that the former sugar factory premises that Pála occupied were no longer sufficient. He transformed the public trading company into a joint-stock company. This gave him enough resources to build a new modern factory, which was constructed under the direction of renowned Slaný builder Vilibald Hiek. The main products of the then Pálovka were batteries, flashlights, and flashlight cases. Later, production expanded to include light bulbs and voltmeters.

The Interwar Era

Quality was paramount for Pála’s company from the beginning. In line with his company motto, Pála established corporate laboratories, responsible for the quality of output material and initiating innovations in the plant. This step, now common, was revolutionary at the time. Quality control laboratories were unheard of in any competing companies in the European market. The main products were Standard batteries for pocket flashlights and cylindrical cells resembling today’s AA batteries. They were then sold under the names Lady’s Batteries and Cane Batteries. 

To keep up with the times, the company began producing devices directly related to batteries. In 1932, Pála applied for a concession to manufacture radios, which were exported not only to Czechoslovakia but also to Hungary, Germany, and Great Britain. Production also expanded to include non-battery assortments, such as cleaning agents, adhesives, or a version of rubbing alcohol called Karmelitka. However, the mainstay of production remained batteries marked Palaba. The most famous were Golden Palaba, Excelsior, and Jupiter.

Nationalization

In May 1945, the founder and driving force of the company, J. J. Pála, was arrested, and his company, renamed Palaba s. s., was taken over by national administration. At that time, Palaba was one of the most important factories, and its operation was not affected even by World War II. It still had enough qualified workers, machinery, and mastered know-how. In 1946, Palaba, under the name Bateria, Factories for Accumulators and Batteries based in Slaný, was incorporated as part of the General Directorate of Czech Metalworks in Prague. There were 15 similarly incorporated enterprises. The production of the original assortment was transferred to other plants, for example, accumulators were taken over by Pražská akumulátorka Mladá Boleslav or radio components were taken over by Tesla Lanškroun. Conversely, other production programs were incorporated into the plant.

In 1954, the company again changed its name to Bateria Slaný, n. p. Slaný, which lasted until 1980. At that time, Bateria became a corporate enterprise, part of the TESLA – Consumer Electronics Bratislava conglomerate. In those days, Bateria produced 106 million cells annually. 

During the 60s and 70s, several significant changes occurred in the plant. Among the most notable were the construction of the new M2 hall and the purchase of new Vidor machines. Given that more than 70% of the plant’s employees were women, other corporate changes aimed to support them. In addition to establishing a corporate health center, a corporate kindergarten was also opened. During this time, the management also aimed to train its own apprentices in the company’s apprentice training center in the fields of mechanical locksmith, toolmaker, and operational electrician. 

In the 80s, there was an extraordinary trend in the growth of consumer pocket batteries, leading to further production growth and modernization. In 1985, the plant produced 144.5 million batteries, with a projection for the next five years of 1 billion batteries.

Transformation

Like many other Czech companies, Bateria Slaný had to cope with a completely new economic character, the loss of traditional markets, and the monopoly position on the Czech market. The company lost significant partners due to small privatization. Additionally, the production technology was significantly behind global brands. The way out of a virtually liquidation situation was to partner with a strategic partner. This partner was the American company Ral ston Purina Overseas Comp., with which Bateria Slaný established the first joint Czech-American company in the republic, Ralston/Bateria spol. s. r. o. This joint venture, after complete modernization, began producing the well-known Wonder battery series. 

n the following years, several significant reconstructions had to take place. The assets and buildings were outdated, most new business activities were unsuccessful, and the company’s losses continued to grow. The result was the sale of the company’s shares. In 1996, Cetus became the new majority shareholder, initiating its pragmatic strategy. The aim was to stabilize, de-leverage, and, if possible, further develop the company. These steps led to the establishment of the subsidiaries Nástrojárna PALABA s. r. o. and Bateria Slaný CZ s. r. o.

In the spring of 1998, the Bateria Slaný brand re-entered the primary pocket battery market in grand style. The return of the brand, represented by the horse under the light bulb, was accompanied by a large marketing campaign that attracted attention and brought the brand back into customer awareness. After 2000, Bateria Slaný participated in numerous charitable and socio-cultural events to support not only a good cause but also brand awareness.

Bateria Slaný further engaged in the sale and distribution of maintenance-free lead-acid batteries HAZE. This step was the company’s response to the development of technology that required this type of battery, such as UPS, backup power supplies for computers, and power for wheelchairs.

Brand Revival

PALABA a. s. and its subsidiaries Bateria Slaný CZ, s. r. o., and Nástrojárna PALABA s. r. o., are companies with a long tradition. We are proud of all the employees who have worked and are working here, contributing to the growth and stabilization of the company. We are immensely proud that, despite all the adversities and historical upheavals, we are able to carry the torch of ancient tradition to its centennial and beyond into the coming years.

New Offices in Prague 2024

The year 2024 brought another significant step towards modernization and development for Bateria Slaný CZ. Our expanding operations and new projects led to the need to expand into new offices in Prague, where we can more efficiently serve our partners and customers not only in the Czech Republic but throughout the European Union. This expansion reflects our commitment to continuously adapt to market needs and offer innovative solutions in energy storage and backup power sources. The new premises allow us to focus more on modern business strategies and develop our energy solutions offering on the European market.