Rayovac Launches Hearing Aid Battery Breakthrough; Tremendous Benefit For Severe Hearing-Impaired Individuals

MADISON, Wis., April 19 /PRNewswire/ -- A breakthrough in technology announced today by Rayovac (NYSE: ROV) will add even more power to its world's longest lasting zinc air hearing aid batteries.

Through patented battery construction and components, the new Rayovac zinc air hearing aid batteries will offer higher operating voltage without sacrificing long life. This new battery will improve performance in "higher demand" aids used by severe hearing-impaired people including some digital or programmable aids. Up until now, severe hearing loss individuals had to settle for shorter battery life in exchange for more power. The new Rayovac zinc air batteries will last 30 to 50 percent longer than Rayovac's current world's longest lasting batteries in these "higher demand" hearing aids.

"Rayovac hearing aid batteries significantly improve the quality of life for nearly six million hearing aid wearers," said Dave Jones, Rayovac chairman and CEO. "Through this new product development, Rayovac remains the world leader in hearing aid battery technology and sales providing 'powerful solutions' for our changing world."

The new zinc air batteries will come in the four most popular sizes: 10, 13, 312 and 675. Shipments of the new product will start in the fall of 2001.

To add even greater value to all consumers of hearing aid batteries, Rayovac will introduce new packaging that is geared to simplify the changing, storing and handling of hearing aid batteries. These new packages were overwhelmingly preferred in consumer research for ease in handling and usage.

In addition, the new Rayovac zinc air batteries will feature a larger color-coded freshness tab on each battery. The larger tab will make it easier for the hearing aid user to remove the battery from the package and place it in the hearing aid battery compartment. The larger tab will also make it easier to find the battery if accidentally dropped.

Golfing legend Arnold Palmer, Rayovac's spokesperson and hearing aid wearer, will help promote this new zinc air hearing aid battery in national advertising and merchandising material.

Hearing aid batteries are sold in the U.S. through three main channels of distribution: Professional (hearing care professionals or audiologists) where approximately 60 percent are sold; Traditional Retail Stores (covered by A.C. Nielsen) where approximately 30 percent are sold and Other (i.e. the Veterans Administration, club stores) where approximately 10 percent are sold. In these combined channels, Rayovac is the number one selling hearing aid battery manufacturer with a 62 percent share in the U.S. Worldwide, Rayovac has over a 60 percent share.

Rayovac has been in the forefront of hearing aid battery technology since the beginning and was the first battery manufacturer to develop miniaturized batteries for the CIC (Completely-In-The-Ear Canal) hearing aids and the ITC (In-the-Canal) hearing aids.

It is estimated that nearly six million people wear hearing aids and another 20 million people have some form of hearing loss and could benefit from wearing an aid.

Rayovac is one of the world's leading battery and lighting device companies and according to A.C. Nielsen, the fastest growing U.S. battery manufacturer. The Company also markets the number one rechargeable brand and is the world leader in hearing aid batteries. Rayovac is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ROV symbol.

Certain matters discussed in this news release, with the exception of historical matters, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause results to differ materially from those anticipated as of the date of this release. Actual results may differ materially from these statements as a result of (1) changes in external competitive market factors, such as introduction of new product features or technological developments, development of new competitors or competitive brands or competitive promotional activity or spending, (2) unanticipated changes in consumer demand for the various types of consumer batteries, (3) unanticipated changes in the general economic conditions where we do business, such as stock market prices, interest rates, inflation and raw material costs, and (4) various other factors, including those discussed herein and those set forth in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.
SOURCE Rayovac Corporation
Web site: http: //www.rayovac.com
CONTACT: John Daggett of Rayovac Corporation, 608-275-4912